


Talk To Me

by wirewrappedlily



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: F/M, I have issues, and my mood, depends on the feedback, not all of them can be solved with professional help, some of them just need to be fed fic, this could be a series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-09
Updated: 2013-07-09
Packaged: 2017-12-18 07:07:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 28,976
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/877023
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wirewrappedlily/pseuds/wirewrappedlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"You're going to be the death of me...but it's going to be fun."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Talk To Me

Oliver Queen was in her apartment by the time she kicked off her shoes and made a sound like she was being strangled while she stretched as much as she could. 

Of course, that she made a sound like she was being strangled was like a beacon to Oliver, and he was at her side in an instant looking like he was ready to tear heads from necks, but that didn't mean she wasn't about to tear him a new one for being in her apartment while she wasn't in her apartment. "What are you even?! Oliver, I just saw you, like, five minutes ago, and I have a cell phone--and I know you have a cell phone. You could have called me back to the office if you needed me, or just told me over the phone--!" 

Oliver's manner changed, something cooling and sliding away in his expression as he looked past her and relaxed. "I made you an offer, once...I told you that if you had a day you wanted to share with someone, you could share it with me." Oliver cut in once he saw she wasn't being strangled. It wasn't usual, he tended to let her run through her rant until she hit the brick wall at the end, but something about this seemed...softer, gentler. "I had a day, and I was hoping you'd listen to me." 

Felicity Smoak stared at him for a long time before nodding quietly, "Of course." 

Oliver ushered her into her own apartment, moving through her space like it wasn't the first time he was there, completely at ease pouring her a glass of wine. "Sorry I scared you." 

She cleared her throat, "I make weird sounds when I try to limber up from sitting in front of a computer all day. Sorry I made you thought I was a baby pterodactyl being strangled." 

His lips twitched, head shaking as he handed her the wine and fell into the seat next to her on the couch. He waited until she had a small drink, smiling at her noise of appreciation. "I remembered you like red." He explained softly, then sighed. "God, where do I start with today? I feel like it's been a century between sunrise and now." He shifted his shoulder, and she silently got up, retrieving something from a junk drawer and padding back over. 

"Sit forward, and take off your shirt. Hopefully, this stuff will help a little on those bruises on your back." She showed him a packet of red goo that was covered in Chinese calligraphy. "It's pepper rub for muscle strains. It's like Tiger Balm with kick." He looked up at her, but obeyed after a moment, pulling his sweater and shirt over his head and letting the groan slip out. She threw herself down beside and a little behind where he'd pulled forward on the couch. "Tell me if you don't like the feel of it, if I should wash it off." She ordered quietly, surveying the mottled skin. 

"So, I got hit by a car last night," he began flippantly, trying to make the bruises a joke. She didn't laugh, he knew, "and this morning I woke up in more pain than I've been in since I came home…" There had been a moment of dread in waking; a moment, not unlike most of his mornings, when he thought he'd open his eyes and be on the island. "Thea's still on the warpath for the Glades. She'll single-handedly save them all if she clones about ten more of herself-- Would that still be single-handedly?" 

"Probably not." Felicity answered quietly as she rubbed the salve into his battered skin. 

"I just wanted to...I wanted to not have to worry about them for a day." He admitted, voice rough as the heat of the salve began to really kick up. "Sometimes it was easier, only worrying about me." Felicity stopped herself from saying anything like it was a physical thing for her to do. He didn't voluntarily talk like this; she'd listen to every word. "I wanted to crawl back into bed, spend the day there with...with someone to hold onto. To just be close to. But there were things to do…" he leaned back into her touch when Felicity slowed in the rubbing, nearly done. She rubbed over everywhere she'd already gotten, trying to tell tension from muscle. "When I got to the warehouse and you were there, I was almost thankful. I knew I had to train, but...and then you asked if I'd help you move stuff, told me I can train by being the brawn to your brain, I damn near hugged you for it." 

"You push yourself when you shouldn't." She muttered quietly, "Like when you were just in a car accident." 

He swallowed the observation that she always knows how to take care of him. She unfolds from behind him again, managing to get up from an odd angle with just a little wobble, walking over to throw out the packet and wash her hands. "Are you okay?" 

"Yep, just gravity-challenged." She chirped, "But we're talking about your day, not mine." 

Oliver blinks slowly, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, "So you tried to save me from myself today...but then Digg called in, in trouble. Because I wasn't there to help him last time he went up against Deadshot, and Deadshot made him." Felicity winced, too, but didn't tell him it wasn't his fault, like he knew she would've. "The kids were in danger, and so was Digg and Carly, and I could only save one of them: Digg couldn't even help me." Felicity sat back down, close enough to him to be a warm comfort at his side. Before he could think about it, Oliver picked up her small hands and wrapped his around them. "If you'd been in danger, I don't think I could have kept myself from losing it completely." Oliver admitted. Felicity pressed her lips together, looking at their hands. 

"I was the one that got the kids, Oliver. I called Lance, and he distracted the Triad while I slipped in and got the kids out." She could hear Oliver swallow, and when she looked, he had his eyes closed. He pulled her towards him, groaning as he hugged her like she was breakable and he'd kill anything that tried. 

"I didn't want to know that." He told her gruffly, his grip on her arms too tight to be broken, but gentle enough that he didn't hurt her. "That just makes it worse." 

"As far as I'm concerned, anyone who messes with kids needs some holes added to their body. Lance agreed." Oliver looked at her, his eyes oddly happy. "Yes, I'd be willing to shoot someone. Shut up." 

"I didn't say anything," Oliver defended, actually smiling. "Besides: it's me telling you about my day, remember?" She narrowed her eyes, but nodded. "Digg isn't mad at me that Carly ended up getting grazed, but I'm...I'm pretty damn mad at me right now. And I let Digg put six bullets into Larson, when I'm the murderer." Oliver breathed in deep, closing his eyes and shaking his head. "Thea called once Digg sent the Hood away before the cops could catch me, and lo and behold, Walter is coming back to take over guardianship, but he still can't talk Thea into testifying on my mother's character, that she'd do this to save us. Trial starts tomorrow, and I don't know if I want my mother going to prison, if it's what she deserves, or if she's innocent for trying to save Thea from the same fate as her husband and son, or if I want to put on the Hood and take the family empire to the ground." 

"My vote is not on that last one. As one of your employees. And as your sidekick-tech support. Digg being the actual sidekick." 

"Neither of you are sidekicks." He argued in that quiet, calm way of his, "You're both just as indispensable as the Hood."

She didn't argue, just shaking her head. 

"When I opened the club, there was this brunette waiting for me there...she'd gone for the bartender position, but Digg hadn't cleared her on the security side of things...and for good reason, she pulled a gun on me, told me I had no choice any more, she'd been patient and she wanted me." 

"Tell me Tiny picked her up like a ragdoll and put her in the back of a handy squad car." Felicity groaned. 

"Tiny?" 

"Tiny Tim, your bouncer. Eight feet tall, three feet wide, hands like trash can lids--all smiles when I see 'im, though. Loves it that I started calling him Tiny." 

"You named my bouncer Tiny?" Oliver asked as if she'd lost her mind and he hadn't already known that. 

"Well, no; I nicknamed him Tiny." 

Oliver closed his eyes, laughing as he shook his head. He took himself by surprise almost as much as he did her; turning his head and kissing the corner of her mouth fondly, making her gasp a little and freeze next to him. Her free hand spasmed on his bare arm, and he angled himself before he had time to think himself out of it, kissing her full on the mouth in relief that she was there. "I realized while I was being held at gunpoint that I've wanted to do that for a while now. You...are incredible. You're always there, and you always do what I need done. You are there for me, even knowing...what I am, what I do." 

Felicity was in shock. "But...you...Laurel is, like, your one true love and--" 

"Laurel and I...have been over for a while now. Laurel and I were over...she can't know my secret, I can't tell her--I can't trust her with it. Not like I trust you. Laurel got me off the island, but you've brought me back." Oliver was focused on her left earring, squinting at it as Digg's words and his own thoughts mixed and churned. "I...was still lost somewhere between the island and home. Until you saw the man I was, and hit me over the head with the man I could be. Laurel helped me get to the man I am. But that's as far as she can take me--you...you keep helping me shape into a new man...into someone...maybe better than Laurel's ever been able to see in me." 

Felicity swallowed heavily, leaning in. Oliver felt her small exhale on his lip, and he knew she was scared, hesitant, but not because she didn't believe him; because she was having trouble believing this was real at all. He kissed her for the second time, slower than most kisses he'd ever had, chaste and half-asleep it was so dazed. But Felicity's fingers bunched against his chest, and he felt her shift slightly, trying not to hurt him as she got a better angle. She pulled away first, cheeks burning, and he pinched her lightly on the inside of her arm, making her gasp. "N-Not dreaming…" Her voice wobbled, but her eyes were steady, locked on his. 

"No." He agreed, and she kissed him this time, throwing herself into it with an abandon that spoke of either little practice, or complete willingness to risk putting everything into something as base as a kiss. He held her tight, just to kiss her deeper, and Felicity hummed happily into his mouth. Her ears had turned pink as they'd kissed, and he couldn't stop the grin from taking over his features, ruining the last of their attempts to keep kissing. "Okay...today may be really much better now." 

"Good to hear." She drawled, sardonic. "But the day is not over yet." She threaded her hand through his hair, kissing him deeper than she'd ever gotten to kiss anyone before, relaxing into it. Oliver scooped his arms around Felicity, small and soft in his arms. "I'm going to make something to eat, Oliver," she kissed him softly, "what do you feel like?" 

"You cook?" 

"Yes. Am I out of the club now?" 

"You may just become the most-loved member." Oliver joked, grinning. 

Felicity padded into her kitchen, knowing he was following her silently to the island separating the livingroom from the kitchen, which she usually used as a dinner table. He slid into one of the high bar stools there, setting both their glasses of wine on the counter in front of him. 

"I don't think I had the kind of day that can stand up to me making something gourmet, so baked mac and cheese with emphasis on the cheese sound good?" 

"That...sounds like heaven." Oliver told her, eyes wide and hungry. 

"I'll make a vegetable, too, 'cause my mac is never healthy. Cheese is my friend." 

He grinned, "That sounds...so good, I can't even say. I don't know a lot of people who can cook well enough to even feed themselves, let alone someone else." 

Felicity smiled, "And I imagine you didn't get a lot of mac as a kid." 

"No, I didn't." Oliver laughed. "Can I do anything to help?" She was pulling out three different kinds of cheese, a jar of hot mustard, and milk, moving around the kitchen fluidly. 

"Um...no, I'm good. Only one cheese grater, so it's a one-person job." Felicity shrugged. 

"I'll do the one-person job," He offered softly, reaching out and grabbing the grater and plate she'd brought out before she could stop him. He snagged up the blocks of cheese, ignoring her protests, "It's the least I can do." 

Felicity smiled softly, adjusting her glasses with an absent minded movement. "Thanks. I don't cook as much as I should...too busy being a code-queen, but, um--" 

"I used to wonder what you did when Digg and I weren't around to keep you hydrated when you got into the code like you do. You told me once the two most important rules of keeping a computer genius was to keep them caffeinated and fed as much as possible." He grinned at the memory. At the time, he'd been trying to get her to go home and sleep, and had therefore been withholding the coffee pot. It hadn't worked, and she'd managed to program all of his electronics to flash a picture of Nicolas Cage at odd times. It'd been one of the better revenges he'd ever been subject to, to be honest. Walking out of his bathroom in a towel to the photo suddenly on his big screen had almost made him shoot the thing. 

"I get by. I do not have this fantastic figure by eating health foods like you super-humans." She quipped, self-deprecating in a familiar way, like she'd said something like that about her eating habits before. 

"You're beautiful." He told her, catching her eye and keeping it, "You...you look how you want to look. The bright colours, all of it, it's undeniably you." 

The corner of her mouth twitched up, and she ducked her head, "I...I was in a uniform-dress coded school for freshman and sophomore year of high school, and I hated it...everything was grey and dark blue and white, it was depressing. So, when I got out, I became a rainbow. I wore all the colour I could. It stuck." Felicity shrugged. 

Oliver was smiling, watching her as she went about flitting over the stove. He grated the cheese until she told him that was good, right around the time it was time to drain the noodles. He beat her to the stove obstinately, stepping in to drain the pot, not wanting for her to burn herself on the hot metal. "You're a bit of a free spirit, aren't you?" 

Felicity's lips twitched, the steam billowing up between them as he dumped the boiling water into the sink. "I was never a bad girl. I was good to a fault, actually. But when I wanted my little rebellions, I got them." 

Oliver reached up, sliding his thumb over the tip of her ear, nudging the stud there, "I think I might count as a big rebellion, Felicity." 

"No. You're a masked hero who's recovered from a life of debauchery to start a life of stopping crime. You're not a rebellion. You're another tick in the good column." Felicity told him in a hushed rush, leaning in and kissing him. Her hands came up, pressing one against his back, the other hooking around the back of his neck to hold him into the kiss. "You're one of the good guys, Oliver. Aside from Diggle, you are the best I've ever met." 

"Digg outranks me?" He asked, mock-wounded. 

"Only a little. You have more grey-areas than he does, but that's where I come in." 

"Balance." He muttered, picking her up slightly so that she didn't have to stretch and he didn't have to stoop. She squeaked, giggling as she grabbed at him, holding tight. 

"Don't like heights, remember?" 

"Hold me tight." His grin was devilish, and she pressed into him as they kissed, melting into him and the way he was kissing her. 

"That...is exactly how I imagined you saying those words." She breathed. 

Oliver's phone went off in his pocket, and he very nearly swore. He let her down, pulling out his phone with a small grunt of annoyance. "Thea?" He froze, and Felicity flicked off the stove in two sharp movements from one glance at his face. "Thea, calm down. Breathe. What happened to Roy?" Oliver's expression drained of all softness, all happiness, the Hood battling for Oliver Queen's features. "I'll be right there." 

He hung up, but Felicity was already tossing him his shirt from over the island, shoving her feet into her shoes and wrapping her hair into a messy bun as she grabbed up her tablet. "I'll get to the office and call Digg, is Thea okay?" 

"I...Roy's been shot. He was found in the Glades, wearing a hood. He's in critical condition--"

"Any idea what he was going after?" Felicity asked smoothly, opening the door for him and striding out with him step for step. 

"Three young women brought him in, looked like clubbers. All they'd say was that he'd been trying to help him. They've all disappeared now." 

"That's ominous." She sniped sarcastically, rolling her eyes, "You go to Thea. Be on the comm line so I can feed you info as I get it--" 

"Come with me." Oliver cut in, his hand grasping hers. "I know...you can do more from the club, but...come with me."

"Thea shouldn't see me for the second time coming to another family emergency, Oliver." She told him softly, up on her tip toes to kiss the corner of his mouth, like he'd kissed hers. "Right now, all I can do to help you is to see what I can find. I have to hack into the hospital security cameras and see if I can find anything about where he was when it happened, which means combing through footage all over the city, in as many eyes as I can hack my way into. I've got my work cut out for me--" 

Oliver looked back at her closed apartment door, hesitating before getting into the elevator with her, "You need--" 

"Oliver," she pulled him in, letting the doors slide closed as she wrapped both her hands around one of his, "you have your sister to care for. Leave everything else to me. That's how being a partner is supposed to work." 

"You're overestimating how much Thea needs me." 

"You're underestimating how work you'll have to do to keep her from going off the deep end with worry." 

Oliver twitched, shaking his head as he cleared his throat, "You're right. How do you do that?" 

"By being the brain to your brawn." She quipped. 

Felicity leaned her head on his shoulder as the elevator went down, taking a quiet moment. He pressed a kiss to her hair, sighing as the doors opened. "I'll see you soon?" 

"Very." She promised, squeezing his hand. He fought with himself not to let her go, but veered off in the end, headed for where he'd parked his bike. 

He followed her car as much as he could before their paths separated again, taking her into the Glades and him into the city. He activated the comm as soon as he saw her taillights disappear into the traffic, and was greeted with the sound of some kind of remixed jazz carrying through her speakers and into her earwig. "Sinnerman?" 

"I am allowed to like the classics!" She snapped, the tone of her voice telling him he'd startled her. "I didn't mean that we could live inside each other's heads while I track stuff down and you kick ass." 

"Well, change of plans, then. I got to talk to you, I don't want to stop. Tell me about your day." 

"Today I saved Digg's not-children and my gorgeous but lunatic boss showed up at my apartment and we ended up making out in my kitchen until he got called away for a family emergency." 

"You make it sound so...routine." 

"Well, last week Digg was having me practice disarming him with a loaded gun to amp up my fear: not being in danger of being shot is, thankfully, closer to my routine than my old one is now." 

"What else happened? There were whole hours I didn't get to see you, surely something happened in them." 

"Boring stuff." She dismissed, but he heard her tell. She was hiding something, it was in her voice. 

"Felicity…" 

"It's nothing, Oliver; let me preface this with a reminder that I am a big girl and as such can take care of myself--Hey, thanks, Tiny: have a good night!--Someone gave my number to a guy in accounting who I think has taken a Mont Blanc pen to his system just to get me to crawl around under his desk, and he's been calling me. He...got my address, the flowers were outside my door when I came home, but you were inside my door, so--" 

"Felicity, who is he? Give me his name." Oliver demanded. 

"No, you see? No. I will not be doing anything of the sort, Oliver. He's just a jerk--" 

"He's turning into a stalker!" 

"Oliver; let me try to deal with this myself. Then you can put the fear of Hood into him. This is not a deal, this is not a debate. This is how we're going to be grown-ups together." 

"Felicity, if anything happens to you, so help me--" 

"Oliver, just stop for a minute and imagine what would have happened if you weren't here to save me." She muttered softly, like she was stealing time to tell him she loved him over the phone, wishing he was there. "I'm a big, brave girl. I've stood up to big, bad vigilantes and even locked them in the lair once." 

"This is more dangerous than me." Oliver insisted, pulling out his phone and holding it to his ear to look like it was just another phone call. "I would never hurt you--" 

"Oliver, I've seen the lengths you'll go to in order to protect me, and they are incredible to me, but this is just a guy for now. If I need help, I will ask for help." 

Oliver was out of the hospital elevator before he could answer, Thea appearing through a part in the crowd, "Fine. I...be safe, Felicity." 

"Safe as houses, boss; I'm already in the batcave." 

He mimed hanging up the call, standing up straight and opening up for Thea to throw herself into his arms, worried and harried and looking older than she had a right to. "It'll be okay, speedy. It's okay." He pet through her hair, hugging her tight as she hiccoughed and buried her head in his chest. Her arms were too tight around his injured side, and he realized that he could have cracked ribs around the time they groaned under the arms of his baby sister, but it didn't matter to him as much as Thea did. "He'll pull through this." 

"When...when he's stable, I want him taken to the best hospital we can get him to." 

"Of course." Oliver placated her, already sorting through his list. 

In his ear, Felicity snorted, "Jeez, Oliver, you don't even treat yourself that well. You're just a big, vigilante, homicidal teddy bear." 

Oliver ignored her, well aware a muscle was twitching in his jaw. "Those girls who brought him in…" 

Thea swallowed, looking down because she knew he was about to give her trouble for what she was going to admit, "Th-They were...club girls--" Oliver had his cut-the-bullshit face on, and Thea crumbled, "Roy's been...researching, tracking things, ever since the earthquake. One thing that we noticed was...well, these club girls...they're always on the latest scene, but they never seem to make it into anyone's purview. We learned that they're the ones pushing most drugs in the clubs, going home with the rich guys they can use for money, or accuse of rape. And...there's this...this guy. He's like a pimp, but the girls aren't...willing." 

"You've been going after some sort of...human trafficking thing...alone?" 

"Oliver, Thea is doing the same damn thing you are, stop and breathe before your anger makes her bolt and do something even more reckless than jumping off of buildings, dodging bullets, in nothing more than a damn leather coat." 

Oliver cleared his throat, "At least tell me you were equipped with...something to help keep you safe." 

"Like what, a gun?" Felicity hissed pointedly. "Oliver--" He tapped the comm line off, grunting as he shifted and tried to be calm. 

"Roy can keep me safe, Ollie. He can fight like nothing I've ever seen. But, please, what did you have in mind? _A gun_?" Thea's biting tone did nothing to make Oliver question if surrounding him with the women he was surrounded with was the best plan. Nope, not in the least. 

"Thea, please. It's so dangerous--" 

"Ollie, it's the right thing to do!" Thea's eyes were huge, pleading. Young. "Roy stopped me from getting mugged and raped in the Glades when we first met. He's strong, and he's good, and I know you want me to be safe, but I can't be safe when he's not, and I won't leave him behind again!" 

"Thea, I am asking you as someone who can't take any more loss or torture: Do not throw your life away to save this city, and if you're going to risk it...risk it with the safety on."

Thea and he stared into each other's eyes for a long time before she had to swallow and look away, nodding jerkily. There were tears in her eyes, and he followed his instincts to pull her into a hug before he could follow the ones telling him to keep her at arm's length. 

"I can't lose you, speedy. Not again." 

"You won't, Oliver." She whispered, "But...will you help me? Please?" 

Oliver nodded slowly, "I think I know just the girl to put us straight." 

Thea expected Laurel with a lecture on the jobs of the police. What she got was Felicity looking at her brother with the kind of resigned disapproval that nearly made Thea burst into giggles. Oliver simply looked at her, silent, and she groaned a sigh before beckoning them deeper into the IT department. 

"Okay, this is in the cone of silence. You break the cone of silence, I'll hack you so hard elevators will shut down at the mere thought of you. Are we clear?" 

Oliver's lips twitched, but he looked at Thea expectantly. "Um...absolutely." 

"Believe me, she can do it." Oliver muttered under his breath. 

"Damn right I can, I am a goddess of code and gadgetry." Felicity threw off, "Now, from what Oliver tells me, you're headed down a path of green hoods and pointy arrows, only without the added benefit of ninja skills and an arsenal. This is where I come in: Thea Queen, I am part of the Hood's arsenal. And, before you ask: no, I do not have ninja skills, nor do I have my own arsenal. My only protection, which, believe me, kinda sucks sometimes, is knowing that he'll catch me if I fall." Felicity adjusted her glasses, her voice earnest and open in a way it rarely was. "I trust the Hood with my life, so I get your faith in Roy. I just think that, what with him getting shot, you might want to consider having a back-up plan."

"Like who? The Hood?" Thea asked. 

"He's the one I'd pick personally, but that's up to you. I could use some help...some on-the-street eyes to tell me what trends to look for, what things to take a closer look at. You and Roy seem like a good pick." Felicity shrugged one shoulder, ignoring Oliver's strangled expression. "It'll leave the danger to the Hood, and you can still do good." Thea looked like Charlie presented with his chocolate factory, " _But_ ," Felicity emphasized, "you have to stop trying to figure out who he is. That's something that's earned and necessitated. I only found out who he was because he was bleeding out and it was up to me to keep him safe."

Thea looked star-struck. "He...so...So, he came to you for help?" 

Felicity shrugged, "I earned the trust, and he needed to find help." 

"Earned and necessitated." Thea echoed, nodding slowly, "I-If this...if this is all real, I have to talk to Roy about making a deal. I want to. But I don't know if he will." 

Felicity slid off the desk she'd perched on, snagging something from her bag and holding it out to Thea, "He told me it was okay to take this meeting with you, Thea. I figure it's for the best." Thea took the arrow with shaking hands, looking at it like it was the Grail. 

"S-So how…?"

Felicity looked up at Oliver with a wicked twist to her smile, "Oliver got pulled in with me down the rabbit hole. He and the Hood don't really get on, but the Hood's okay with me acting as liaison between them." 

"He really shouldn't." Oliver told her, gaze hooded but leaving her somehow exposed. "You are an asset, after all." 

Felicity snorted, "You'd both get on without me; you were just fine before I came stumbling into your lives." 

Thea looked from Oliver from Felicity with the kind of glee only ever present on little sister's faces, "I daresay he doesn't know how he survived without you, Felicity." She teased him. 

Oliver snapped around to look at her, then back to Felicity, "While I'm in the neighbourhood...which coworker was it you were having trouble with, Miss Smoak?" 

Felicity shook her head, exasperated. "You are not stabbing him with the arrow. The Hood has enough to deal with without a hasty frame job from a billionaire killing his employee for being a creep." 

"Don from accounting." Thea filled in immediately, then snapped back into herself, blinking as Felicity looked startled and Oliver looked confused. "He was creepy at me at that company party we did before you got back. I just figured." 

"Oliver, no." Felicity tried to reinforce, hanging onto his arm like she could stop him. 

"He creeped out my sister and now he's this close to stalking you. No is not in this guy's vocabulary, so it won't stop me." 

"Oliver, I will not forgive you if you break your promise. We agreed to let me handle it, and if I can't, you can be my knight. Let me continue to believe I am a big girl who doesn't need to run to her boss to solve her problems." 

"One week, and then I fire him for sexual harassment, and the company files charges on behalf of his victim." 

Thea stood catty corner to Oliver and Felicity facing off, eyes wide as she watched them argue. "He's got his scary face on, Felicity. In the wonderful words of RDJ: Listen, smile, agree--then do whatever the fuck you were going to do anyway." 

Oliver turned his head to glare at her, Felicity beaming and laughing, "Imagine what madness we'd cause being friends, Thea." 

"That vein in his right temple might even burst." Thea agreed easily. 

Oliver moved his glare to Felicity, but she only smiled. 

"So, when were you going to tell me you were dating the hot IT girl that brought flowers for Walter?" Thea asked simply. 

"When I don't have to worry about her being assaulted by paparazzi for being with me." Oliver replied easily. "Actually, probably before that, but I kind of wanted to keep this all for me." 

"And how did you expect to do that while bringing her home? Home means you can hole up in your room and you'll get fed instead of getting dressed to feed yourself, Ollie: think it through." 

Felicity was the colour of her sweater, her eyes wide behind her glasses. 

"I was thinking date first, Thea." 

"Home theatre system, Oliver." 

"I, uh...have work to get back to, please don't argue about me." 

"I'm not arguing over you, just my brother's methods. You, I approve of completely. It was awesome to meet you, Felicity." Thea leaned in and hugged her like they were old friends, looking expectantly at Oliver when she let him go. "Kiss your new girlfriend goodbye, Oliver." 

"Nah, he really shouldn't. I am technically his employee, and I'd rather keep from being the girl that dates the boss for as long as possible." Felicity offered her hand instead, taking his right one and shaking it like they'd just met. "They know we know each other...we're friends. They don't know how good of friends we are." 

"I don't shake hands with my friends." Oliver murmured, pulling her into a hug as his sister had, sneakily kissing her cheek. "Tell the Hood...thanks, for agreeing to meet with Thea." 

Felicity smiled, adjusting her glasses, "She could probably be even more an asset than I am, considering I have no idea how the hell he decided I was an asset." 

Oliver pulled at face at her, pecking her cheek again and escorting Thea out. "We'll have lunch sometime!" Thea chirped over her shoulder, twirling her fingers in the air. 

Oliver was well aware the comm connection was still on in his ear as Thea looked over at him pointedly in the elevator, and he briefly debated hanging it up so Felicity was saved hearing what Thea really thought. "What?" 

"She's kind of awesome. How the hell did you con her into dating her?" 

Oliver lied through his teeth, "She doesn't know me yet, I guess." 

Thea's brows lifted, but she didn't reply. 

"I let you swing me across an elevator shaft. I know you pretty damn well." Felicity told him, her tone soft. 

Oliver smiled slightly, looking up as the elevator let them off at the right floor. He knew she was smiling, too, and glanced at the camera in the elevator corner, resisting the urge to wink. "So: you really approve?" Oliver asked quietly. 

Thea turned to look up at him, taking his hand like she was small again, "I love you, Ollie, and I haven't seen you this...this at ease maybe ever." Thea told him. "She's good, and I think she'll be good for you." 

Oliver smiled, squeezing her hand, "Thank you, speedy." 

"I really hope she never calls me that." Thea groaned, wincing as she slid under her brother's arm. 

"Noted." Felicity muttered, distracted. 

Oliver grinned, walking out of the office with his baby sister under his arm and his girlfriend in his ear. 

When Felicity finally walked down the stairs to the lair, Oliver was hanging upside down doing crunches from the ceiling. "One of these days, I'm going to bring my yoga mat and do my routine down here, half-naked, and make you deal with me scantily clad and sweaty." 

Oliver straightened so he was just hanging there, looking at her oddly from upside down. "You do yoga?" 

"When I manage the time for it between city-saving and my dick of a supervisor. I'd probably need thousands of dollars worth of massage therapy if I didn't." 

Oliver stretched out, jumping nimbly down to crowd into her space, taking her tablet and setting her purse aside. He plucked the glasses off her nose, carefully laying them on the desk before he picked her up into a kiss one-armed, urging her legs around his waist as he kissed her. 

He moved blindly, but surely, to the couch in the far corner, near the shower, sitting down with her on his lap before he freed her hair from its usual ponytail, kissing her deeper as the soft gold fell over his hand. She groaned helplessly, her hands sliding over his sweaty shoulders and fingers rubbing through his short hair in a way that very nearly made him arch into the touch like a cat. She sucked on his lower lip decadently, slowly letting it go and watching as it reddened and swelled, her eyes blown. She was short-sighted, he knew, sharing air with her to let her watch. Her thighs squeezed around his sides gently as she leaned back in and kissed him again, flooding heat through him as she pressed against his chest, small and soft and dangerous in the best way. 

Digg cleared his throat from across the room, and Felicity would have dumped herself off his lap if he hadn't caught a flailing thigh, scooping her back up against his chest from a foot away from hitting the floor. "As...relieved as I am to see you two finally getting it on, can we please refrain from scarring me like that again?" 

"Ohmygod, John, I'm so sorry!" Felicity's hand fluttered for her glasses, but they weren't there. She was hunched, hiding her face, but Digg was smiling behind her, handing Oliver her glasses with a shrug. Oliver carefully slid them on the bridge of her nose, letting her fuss with them with a small smile on his swollen mouth. 

"It's okay, Felicity, I'm fucking with you more than I'm actually scarred." Digg reassured her, hands on either of her upper arms. He helped her disengage from Oliver without falling over, but she still wouldn't look him in the eye, too mortified. "Go get showered, Oliver, and wipe that smirk off your face." 

"Please, wipe the smirk off your face." Felicity muttered, uncomfortable in the extreme. 

Oliver and Digg had a moment of silent communication, looking at Felicity before looking at his partner with an order in his eyes, and Digg snorted, rolling his eyes, because it was really so necessary to order him to do what needed doing. 

"Fee, I'm serious: I don't really care. I should probably be glad you're the first girl I've walked in on him with. Taking a job as his bodyguard before he became super-Oliver might've left me blind." 

"F-Fee?" 

"Figured you could do with a nickname. If you don't--"

"No, I like it...my grandma used to call me Fee." She finally met his eyes, "I am...really sorry, Digg. It won't--" 

"Don't say it won't happen again, 'cause Oliver usually gets his way. I don't care, though, Fee. Like I said: relieved you've finally moved past the pained staring as he went up the salmon ladder." 

"I can't promise that's going to get any better." Felicity winced. 

Digg laughed, shrugging, "Fair enough." 

"Um, anyway: Oliver had me meet Thea today to talk to her about joining the Hood Initiative. I think she's probably in, but I kind of threw that in when Oliver was hoping I'd talk her out of being in danger." 

"So you're the liaison with the Hood. I can be the Hood, if Oliver needs to be seen while the Hood's there, rule him out." 

"I was thinking that might be a good idea...Remember the movie The Shadow? With Alec Baldwin?" 

"Yeah..." 

"We can hide you and Oliver by both of you having been saved by the Hood, working for him if he needs you." 

Digg looked at her with the start of a smile on his face, "You really are a genius, aren't you?" 

"Yes, she is." Oliver answered, walking in wearing his club-owner suit. He moved over and kissed her cheek, hugging her one-armed. "You never cease to astound me." 

Blushing, Felicity bopped a little shrug, adjusting her glasses. "Remarkable." 

"Fascinating." He agreed softly. He stole a kiss from the corner of her mouth, releasing her regretfully. "I've gotta open the club. See what you can find from Thea and Roy gathered." 

"Yes, boss." She quipped before her brain and her mouth could talk to each other, flushing as she turned to the computer. 

"I'm going to regret every decision I've ever made." Digg groaned. Oliver laughed as he keyed in the security code, sprinting up the stairs to the club. 

"I should start working on schematics for an insertible brain-to-mouth filter." Felicity agreed. 

"I wouldn't. He likes that you talk to him." Felicity's hands spasmed flying over the keys, and she turned her swivel chair to look at Digg. "You say what you're thinking, Felicity, that's not something that happens a lot around Oliver. He barely trusts people, he's been lied to too much. But you don't lie to him. You don't cover with him. you're blatantly, perfectly you, even if you don't mean to be. He likes that: it means he doesn't have to lie to you, either." 

Felicity looked down at her hands, her features sad, "Sometimes...I think about all those scars, about how much I know he's different from the Oliver that was lost at sea...and it kills me that the most worthy person to be saved had to save himself, and now no one who should care does." 

Digg crouched in front of her, looking up at her with an open face, "You know, he's nothing like the man he used to be...but I think that you and I are helping him become a man again, instead of a weapon." 

Felicity sniffed, adjusting her glasses as she rallied, "I used to wish I could just wrap him up in a comforter and keep him safe and take care of him." She admitted. 

"What about now?" 

She sighed, straightening as he did and turning to her domain, "Now I want to help him save as many lives as he can, and earn as many smiles as he'll let me." 

Digg squeezed her shoulder, moving to the arsenal and taking stock while she worked. 

It was not the first time she'd fallen asleep at her computer, face mashed into the keyboard. In fact, she'd programmed her keyboards to shut off if more than three buttons were pressed at the same time. But it was the first time she'd fallen asleep at her computers in the batcave, so she woke to a warm hand shaking her gently with the rest of her feeling oddly like a block of ice. "C'mon, genius." Oliver murmured, lifting her arm before she could straighten and scooping her up in his arms bridal style. "It's five in the morning, you should have left with Digg five hours ago." 

"Mmm-formation..." She mumbled, head pillowed on his shoulder. "M' stuff..." 

"I've already got it, Felicity. I'm taking you home now." She shifted just slightly in his arms, knowing he wouldn't drop her, and a frozen nose pressed to his neck. "I'm gonna call you in sick tomorrow, too." 

"Shouldn't...play hookie." She scolded, rousing slightly more to wave to Tim, who was grinning as he held the door for Oliver. 

"You're half-frozen, it's a preemptive sick day." Oliver murmured, setting her in the car and sliding in next to her. 

When she woke up again, she was in soft, unfamiliar sheets, her glasses off her nose, her shoes off her feet, and Oliver's arm around her waist. Her hair was splayed over the pillow, just tickling Oliver's cheek, and he was peacefully asleep holding her. She was warm and comfortable like she hadn't been in a long time, and she battled for all of five seconds before giving in to the desire to take Oliver's offer of a preemptive sick day. She needed the sleep. 

Oliver was petting through her hair in the afternoon light when she surfaced with a sleepy smile. Her eyes fluttered open, smile lazy as she shifted and rolled over, laying out beside him where he'd propped himself up curled around her. "Morning." She mumbled sleepily. 

There was nothing sexy about her when she was asleep, she knew. Adorable, probably. Sexy, hell no. But Oliver smiled down on her like she was perfect, bringing her hand up to kiss her fingers. "Good morning, my sleeping beauty." 

She smiled at him, stretching a little while she was still in the warm, comfortable bed. "Thank you." 

He kissed her forehead, reaching over her to the bedside table and handing her her glasses, "You work too hard, and all the work you do is for me. It's the least I can do to take care of you." He brushed his thumb over her cheek, kissing her softly before the world came into focus. "How do you feel?" 

Felicity yawned, nuzzling into his arm. "Sleepy, but good. Better than I have in a while."

He kissed down her cheek to her mouth, "You've been working way too hard." 

"Mmmm, but it's necessary. Save the city, thwart the bad guy, all that jazz." 

There was a soft knock on the bedroom door, and Oliver stiffened, but didn't get up, looking over as the door swung slowly open, Thea shuffling in in her pajamas with a breakfast tray covered in coffee paraphernalia. "Hi, guys." 

Felicity sat up, pushing her hair over one shoulder so it wouldn't tickler her neck, smiling happily. "Hey, Thea." 

"Ollie, she's still in her dress from yesterday! You should have offered her something more comfy!" 

"Oh, no, Thea: I was sleeping when he brought me in. I passed out at my computer and he took mercy on me." Thea only looked slightly placated. 

"You can wear something of mine if you want, but my oversized stuff has somehow all disappeared. It's more comfy." 

Oliver raised his eyebrows, "You mean all the stuff you stole from me has come back to me." 

Thea climbed on the bottom of the bed, setting the tray on no one's legs while she rolled her eyes at her brother. "You could have gotten new stuff and let me keep the comfy stuff." 

"I very nearly did until Raisa admitted where everything had gone." 

"Why is it you were always her favourite?" Thea pouted. 

"Because I was a cute child. You were a horror." Felicity burst into giggles, holding up a time-out signal. 

"I'd like something oversized, if you don't mind, Oliver. I don't think I'd fit in Thea's clothes." 

"You do have boobs." Thea agreed, playing it straight while Oliver looked like he was about to explode his own brain just to get away from the conversation. 

Felicity snorted, and Thea cracked up, high-fiving with her. 

"I need more testosterone in my life." Oliver sighed, "I never thought I'd ever say those words." Felicity slipped out of bed with him, padding along as he disappeared into the walk-in closet, accepting the shirt he handed her. "I don't think I have anything that would fit you." He gestured to her lower half, and Thea shrugged. 

"I'll see if I can find anything." 

Felicity looked at Oliver, cheeks pink and eyes wide. "Thank you so much, Oliv--"

He held a finger to her lips, moving in to kiss her long and sweet, "Don't worry about it." 

"About that date...with the home theatre system...We're saving that for later, so Thea can join us now. I wanna hang out with her, and with Roy in the hospital, she needs someone to hang out with. Okay?" 

Oliver pressed a kiss to her cheek again, "You're incredible." He muttered roughly, pulling away enough for propriety as Thea came back in with a pair of sweatpants hung over one arm. 

"Mission accomplished." Thea chirped happily. 

Felicity beamed in gratitude, taking the folded material. "You two are the best sleepover buddies, I swear." 

Felicity vanished into the bathroom Oliver pointed her to, to change while Thea flopped on the end of the bed near Oliver. "I do really like her. Please don't screw this up." 

Oliver shot her a look, settling back on the bed with his coffee, "Thanks for the vote of confidence. Besides, even if I did, she'd just tell me I'm an idiot and demand her apology." 

Thea grinned, "Good. You need someone who knows how to take care of you and deal with your shit." She ruffled her hand through his hair goofily, laughing when he playfully tried to bat her off. 

Felicity emerged a little timidly, swallowed in Oliver's shirt, her hair flowing around her. Thea beckoned her over immediately, easily, like she belonged. Oliver threw a look at her as Felicity neared the wrong side of the bed, and smiled as she turned pink, but let him pull her over so she was sitting as on top of him as he could convince her to be. "Thanks for bringing up coffee, Thea--" 

"No problem. Raisa will be up with the rest of breakfast in a minute." Felicity's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't say anything, didn't react in any other way. Oliver rubbed at her hip, kissing her shoulder when she looked over at him. 

"I'm sorry this is weird." 

"This is a whole new world, only I'm not wearing a blue bra and pajama pants." 

Thea's eyes went wide for a second, startled, and then she nearly fell over laughing. "The image of Oliver singing is the most perfect thing ever, let alone the harlem pants!" 

Oliver was shaking his head, smile fond. "We should eat junk food and watch cartoons today." Felicity said. "I'd pay good money for someone to resist crying at the beginning of 'Up', and Oliver's probably my best bet." 

Thea laughed, "And Flynn Rider and my brother would understand each other on a deep, emotional level." 

Felicity laughed hysterically, clapping. "He's got a dreeeeam!" She sang through the giggles. Thea squealed, tackling her over off of Oliver and hugging her. 

"Fee; this is the beginning of a beautiful sisterhood." Thea teased gleefully. 

Oliver laughed, reaching in and gathering Felicity out of the tangle of limbs with a huge grin. He curled around her, cuddling in. "Let's have breakfast in the movie room, then." 

Thea took Felicity's arm, ordering Oliver to get the coffee tray as she led Felicity out. "So, why Oliver and not the Hood?" 

"The Hood protects me: he wouldn't put me in harm's way by being with me." 

Thea nodded, "That makes sense. Isn't he pissy it's Oliver, though, then? Oliver Queen has dangers of his own." 

"The Hood and I have an odd give and take, but he doesn't control all my life. I get my little rebellions because I don't want or need much beyond them." 

"Little rebellions. That'd be a fantastic band name." 

"Oliver as the lead singer?" 

"Bad idea. Very bad idea." He scolded. 

Felicity grinned over her shoulder. She gasped softly as Thea tromped them through the entertainment room door, "Holy...mother of god..." 

"What do you wanna watch first?" Thea asked, throwing herself into a seat. Oliver caught Felicity's hand, twirling her into a seat with him instead of letting her have her own. Making them both comfortable curled together, Oliver let Thea and Felicity spin out movie titles between the two of them. Felicity tucked her forehead against Oliver's neck, weaving the hand he had on her stomach with her own. Physical affection was a bit of a gift for him: five years starved for it left him needing it more than he should ever allow himself. But Felicity knew his secret; trusted him; and fit into his arms so perfectly that he had a hard time resisting the pull of her. With Laurel, she'd known who he was; with Helena, she thought she knew who he'd become; but with Felicity, she seemed to know him in every way he needed her to. He could trust her like he couldn't anyone else. Kissing her softly, Oliver drew a blanket around them both as Raisa walked in carrying breakfast, Thea bouncing over to help her carry the food in. The opening sequence started up as Oliver caught Raisa cooing over them as she skirted out of the room. "So which one did you pick?" 

"Thea won: we're watching 'Wreck-It Ralph'." Felicity told him, biting into a strawberry and squeaking as juice flooded her mouth. Oliver kissed her before she could wipe it away, the berry sweet and perfect. Oliver stole another strawberry from the platter, biting into it himself. She giggled delightedly, wiping his bottom lip with her thumb, sucking it clean. She plucked up some bacon, biting into it. 

"I thought you were Jewish." 

"I am, but all you could have to do is sprinkle a little water on it and call it beef." She grinned cheekily, Thea laughing. 

"You may be worse at rules than either of us." Thea teased. 

Felicity giggled, shrugging, "I'm not very devout. No one in my family is anymore." 

"Your family? Do you have brothers or sisters...?" 

"My parents...were both in the military: I grew up with my grandmother in a farming town in Kansas." Felicity's expression was hooded, haunted. "They died when I was seven: insurgent bomber. Grams passed just after I got out of college, before I got a job at QC." 

Oliver wrapped his arms around her, pillowing his cheek on her hair as they watched the arcade games come to life. 

"Vanellope reminds me of you, Thea." Oliver told her. 

Thea smirked, popping a piece of grapefruit in her mouth. "I take that as a compliment, stinkbrain." 

Oliver's hand curled around her ankle, slowly sliding up her calf. Felicity nudged him with her knee as his fingers trailed up almost to the hollow of her knee. "Ticklish." She whispered, taking an absent drag from her coffee. Oliver smiled, resisting the urge to take the advantage.

"Now I'm craving sugar." Thea complained idly. 

"I would kill to see someone talk like Felix in this day and age." Felicity replied, like they were comparing battlescars. 

"That would make a fantastic bet-punishment." 

"We should be evil together." 

"I think Oliver would actually cry." Thea snickered, actually turning her head to look at him. 

"I would have the Hood on my side. While the thought of you two evil terrifies me, there's a good chance you won't win." Oliver murmured, rubbing circles into the muscle of Felicity's calf with his thumb. 

"You'd side against your girlfriend and your sister?!" 

"Good point. No, I wouldn't." Thea grinned like the devil as Oliver relented, the two girls absently high-fiving. 

Felicity inhaled sharply as the climax of the movie pulled near, and Thea had wet eyes. Felicity didn't even look over as she slid her hand around Thea's, squeezing comfortingly. Thea sniffed, squeezing back in thanks. Over his hand, Oliver could feel Felicity's fingers slowly slide between his own, weaving tight together. 

"I'm bad, and that's good. I'll never be good, and that's not bad. There's no one I would rather be...than me." Ralph recited on the screen, and Felicity heard Oliver's throat click as he swallowed; knew that he hadn't had a real day without fighting crime...until today. 

Felicity silently pulled his attention toward her, the question and the acceptance in her eyes. He nodded that he was alright, the 'of course' written in his features. Felicity pursed her lips, raising one eyebrow. Oliver shifted, sighing slightly, like he wished he could have a different answer or a more convincing way to lie. "I think I probably need a little break after this, Thea, I've been hunched over my desk too long, I need to do some yoga before my body stages a coop." 

"Fair enough. I kinda want to check up on Roy, actually, if you don't mind." 

"Sounds good, but back in an hour unless dire things happen?" 

"Deal. Oliver, if you let Felicity get stuck in downward facing dog, I will kill you." Felicity cracked up slightly, giving her a look Thea shrugged at, "It was the only dire thing I could think of happening doing yoga." 

Felicity thought about it, her nose wrinkling adorably, "That would suck, yeah." 

Thea was smiling when the movie ended. She kissed Felicity's cheek and hugged Oliver before she disappeared to get changed, padding out with a happier air surrounding her. 

"This was a good idea." 

"We're not done with this yet. Go get your training in: I'll call John and check on my sources to see if anything's turned up. I assume an hour will be enough?" 

Oliver's long lashes feathered down as he smirked down at her hand in his. "Do me a favour, Felicity?" She raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to finish, "Don't ever change." 

Felicity grinned, nodding. She got up fluidly, careful not to hurt him as she climbed off. "I assume my tablet's in my bag in your room?"

"You assume correctly." Oliver helped her up, only to twirl her under his arm with a soft grin once he'd stood, too. "How long is your yoga workout?" 

"Twenty minutes, why?" 

"Well, you've managed to get me an hour to train, and you've been over working yourself. You should do your yoga. I'll do it with you." 

Felicity's eyes brightened, a blush beginning to rise, "Okay." 

Oliver pulled her to her feet, calling a goodbye to Thea as she tripped down the stairs with a wave. Felicity watched the rooms whip by as Oliver led her down the corridor. She wasn't surprised when he opened a door to a work out room that was more than some gyms were. "Impressive. What, no salmon ladder?"

Oliver bared his teeth at her, "Now you see why I prefer the warehouse." 

"You really want to do the yoga first?"

"It'll be a good warm-up." 

Oliver worked through her yoga routine with her, getting up from the position to adjust hers; his hands warm, worn, and strong against her skin. 

"Breathe." He reminded her, pacing his breathing for her to match. "Don't tense--easy. Easy." He passed his hand over her abdomen, adjusting her hips with the flat of his hand and the presence of his chest against her back. Felicity forced herself to breathe, her heart absolutely racing with him around her like he was. Oliver kissed along her neck gently, his hands sliding down her sides. 

"You're lucky I'm not ticklish." 

Oliver shifted his grip on her, bringing her around and sliding his hand up her back, kissing her as she wrapped around him. "This was not what you had in mind." Oliver muttered, kissing her deep. 

"Not really, no." Felicity giggled manically, "But I won't be complaining any time soon." Oliver grinned wildly, walking over to a balance ball and kneeling down until she was sitting on it with him on his knees in front of her. 

"You're so beautiful, Felicity." Oliver murmured, rubbing his thumb over her borrowed collar. "Even in my clothes, you're undeniably you." His fingers trailed down the open edge of the shirt, just grazing the skin beneath, Felicity's harsh breath like a shout in the quiet of the house. 

"I should be calling Digg and hacking into the surveillance for the entire city, Oliver." She breathed. "I know you need me to...I know that it's hard for you to turn the Hood off for as long as I'm asking you to, so I have to do this..." 

Oliver kissed her, nearly knocking her off the balance ball it was so ardent, "I'm sorry...I'm--"

"Hey, hey--no. Oliver, no. I get it, it's okay. You don't take days off, I've always known that." She palmed over the bruises she'd taken care of just the night before last. "Be who you are, Oliver. That's all I want." 

"I don't know who I am yet." Oliver told her. 

She smiled slightly, slipping down to sit on the floor in front of him. "Work out, I'll go get my tablet and start working my ass off, bring it in here, it'll be like the warehouse only with better interior decorating." He laughed, but nodded, helping her up. 

An hour later, Oliver walked out of his shower in a towel, finding Felicity sitting back on his bed with her focus on the tablet and a tracker very similar to his own in her hand. 

She looked up at him and did a double take, her cheeks turning pink. She cleared her throat quietly, but didn't look away from the patch of burned-looking skin on his shoulder. "Twenty percent of your body..." 

"Felicity...do you want to see all of them?" Oliver asked quietly, wondering with a pit in his stomach what it would be like to have her looking at him, seeing the scars without a reference point of the violence he was now capable of to temper the reflex of damaged. She nodded her head, mouth set and eyes huge and hurt and angry behind her glasses. Angry for him. 

"I want to see everything, Oliver. But only if you're okay with showing me." 

She stood up, defiant and brave and utterly strong. "I am." Oliver told her, surprising himself, surprisingly at ease with it. He undid the towel, and her swallow was loud enough that he could hear it. Her eyes fell to the wide slash curved over his hip, the thin cuts over his thigh. He shifted slowly, and her attention snapped up to his face, eyes wide. He slowly turned around, a mannerist St. Stephen, for her to see his back. His breath caught as she slid forward, her lips pressing against his shoulder, her hands stroking down his sides. She'd taken off her glasses, her eyelashes fluttering against his skin, wet. She slid her arms up around him, hugging from behind, her cheek between his shoulders. 

She smoothed her hands over his chest like she could erase the marks with a gentle enough touch, the warmth of her embrace making him ache with the comfort he was being given; making him want to turn in her arms, give comfort back, anything to stop the pain in his chest as she held him. "I wish this was something you'd never had to go through." 

"It brought me here." He replied with a rough voice. She pressed a kiss over his shoulder again, her arms slipping down to brush her fingers over the scar on the small of his back, her hand sliding down to rest against a star-shaped scar on the curve of his ass. 

"I wish I could just take you to her with me...but now isn't the time, is it?"

"No." She agreed, "But soon."

He nodded jerkily, turning back around as she slipped her glasses back on with shaking hands. He reached for her, and she fell into, her grip fierce, like she'd never give a thought to the option of letting him go. He wove his hand through her curls, pressing his lips to them and holding her back just as desperately. "Are you okay?" He managed, voice like sandpaper. 

She nodded against his chest, gasping in air as she tried to stop crying. "I wish I could kill the people that did this to you...and I never wanted that before." 

He kissed her forehead, "They're already dead, Felicity. It's okay." 

She pulled away enough to reach up, kissing him long and slow, her hands curling on his hips. He leaned his forehead against hers, panting, when they pulled away, but she moved up, kissing his eyelashes, his cheeks, down his neck and over his collarbone. He curled down into her neck, breathing her in as they hung on to each other. 

Oliver could hear the front door opening downstairs, sighed with the knowledge that he had to get dressed to hang out with Thea. What he wasn't expecting was for someone to burst in, firing before they could even have gotten a line of sight from the door busting open. 

The last thing Oliver knew before darkness claimed him was Felicity's scream. 

Felicity was spitting mad when one of her kidnappers tore off the bag over her head, none too gentle about it. 

"How have you fucked up? Let me count the ways--" she was cut off with a harsh slap, her right ear ringing with the force of the hit. 

"Touch her again, and I'll sever your spinal chord. She's the one we need. She's the key to everything." A voice admonished, and she heard someone get smacked, the blow driven by a hand in a leather glove, by the sounds of things. 

"Don?! From accounting?!" Her voice was shrilly incredulous. The man who'd spoken was careful with placing her glasses on the bridge of her nose--and, yep; that was totally Don from accounting. 

"Hello, Felicity." He purred, and she fought getting sick. 

"What did you do to Oliver?" She demanded, a monster storm of wrath in her voice. 

"Oh, nothing...yet. He's right here," Don gestured behind himself, exactly across from Felicity, and moved slightly to let her see. Oliver was suspended by his arms over a coffin-sized tank of liquid, his arms twisted the wrong way, dislocated at the shoulders and bloody from the wrists. He was unconscious, cut up and bruised over the long expanse of bare skin still on view. "You see: torture is ineffective in that the information given will be given just to stop the pain. But the torture of another person, a person beloved to the one the information? Well, it's intriguing enough to try." Don told her in a silky voice. She seethed, building up a scream as she kicked forwards, fighting like a wild thing caged, her eyes glued on Oliver. She was hit with a low-grade taser: enough to hurt, but not enough to render her unconscious. She stilled as Don snapped his fingers, a cattle prod stabbed into Oliver's side, the zap of electricity making her snarl at her captors she petered off from fighting. Oliver whimpered, in pain as his eyelashes fluttered dimly open. Don bent over her, careful to let them keep eye-contact, "Felicity Smoak, you will tell me who the Hood is: or your battered lover will die."

"NO!" Felicity shrieked, pulling at her bound wrists and bucking as Oliver was dropped into the tank, his eyes on her with all the hardness of the Hood, and all the sorrow of Oliver Queen. 

"I know you know who he is: Lance pulled you in for questioning because you know who he is. So tell me!" 

Felicity sobbed, desperately searching for a name, bullshit or otherwise, anything to get Oliver out of that tank. "He'll kill you all." She breathed, "Floyd Lawton!" 

Don bent over her chair, planting a kiss on her lips with a smack. She spat at him, struggling anew, and Don laughed, the room clearing with Felicity tied in the chair and Oliver's attempts to break through the glass slowing and falling off. 

Felicity closed her eyes, sobbing as she prayed. 

When a knife snicked through her bonds, Felicity didn't risk a second's hesitation to discern if it was a dream, jumping to her feet, grabbing the chair they'd tied her to, and smashing it against the glass as hard as she could. Behind her, Digg dropped the hood, intercepting the second swing to do it himself, more force behind the blow. The glass shattered, flooding liquid around their ankles and Oliver slipped from the wreckage, limp and still. Felicity dropped to her knees, pulling his head onto her legs as she cried over him, trying to check his pulse even as she started hyperventilating. 

Digg pulled his hood back up, taking up stance towards the door as a clatter of footfalls came rushing in. Lance looked from Felicity to Oliver to the Hood with wide eyes. 

"YOU!" Felicity screamed, "THEY KNEW BECAUSE OF YOU! They brought me here to tell them who the Hood is. They tortured him to get me to talk. It's your fault." Felicity sobbed, holding Oliver against her chest. 

He spasmed in her arms, choking and coughing, as Digg bent to the strangely viscous fluid, "Fee, it's liquid oxygen." Oliver's big hand closed over her forearm as he coughed and struggled to regulate his breathing. 

Felicity bent her head into his neck, still crying, and she heard Lance take a few stumbling steps into the room. "Mr. Hood, I suggest you track these bastards down." 

"I told them the Hood was Floyd Lawton." She murmured, looking at Digg in the Hood costume. She didn't have to see to know he was smiling. "Do me a favour?" He nodded, "Kill them." 

He nodded, looking at Lance, who nodded dumbly, staring still at Felicity curled up with Oliver in her arms. Digg was gone with the crunch of heavy-duty glass under his boots. Lance slipped off his jacket, crouching down beside the couple as he draped it over the shivering Oliver, rubbing Felicity's arm to try to warm her a little. "I'm sorry." 

Felicity's eyes rose to his, her features swollen, tear-stained, and bruised on one side; and Lance felt it like a kick in the gut. This girl was a good woman, a strong woman, a loyal one--she was just as good, even, as his own daughter. And she trusted the Hood, protected him, knew he had her back. Because he was good, even when he was bad. 

"Ambulance is on its way, Oliver. Forgive me." 

Oliver coughed, looking up at him from around a curtain of Felicity's hair. "I've had worse." He choked out. Lance looked pained, pinched, and he couldn't miss Felicity's hand pressing against Oliver's chest, over his heart--or the way Oliver responded by simply looking up at her, blue eyes loving. 

EMTs came rushing in with a gurney, and Lance moved out of the way, taking Felicity's hand and helping the shivering girl up as Oliver was put on the gurney, a blanket and a heating pad wrapped around him. Lance helped her stumble along after him, helping her into the back of the ambulance with her own blanket around her shoulders. The doors shut on the image of Felicity's hand reaching for Oliver's, a tear running down her cheek as she wrapped their fingers together. 

Felicity fully expected Wrath of Thea at the hospital, but she did not expect Walter to stride up behind a weeping Thea and embrace them both. "Felicity, are you alright?" 

"I-I'm fine. It was Oliver..." She choked back a small sob. She couldn't seem to stop. Thea's brow pinched, pulling Felicity into a hug again. 

"As I understand it, he shouldn't be here very long. In light of recent events, Felicity, I would appreciate it if you would take time to stay by my stepson's side. I will put a call in to your supervisor at QC and have you put on paid leave. From what I've gathered: you could both do with a break." 

"Thank you, sir, but--" 

"Thank you, Walter. Just...thank you." Oliver cut in, pale and beaten and harried, his arms bandaged and in slings for the dislocations. He smiled a tired smile, though, his eyes soft on Felicity. 

"Give me your key, Fee. I'll get you some clothes--" Thea began. Digg strode up just in time, looking at the out-of-bed Oliver with a deep-seated concern. 

"I'll accompany Ms. Queen, if you don't mind, Ms. Smoak." 

"Thanks, Digg. Thanks, Thea, but my keys are in my bag at your place." Thea made a small flail of dismissal, smiling at her kindly. Felicity hugged them both, gently nudging Oliver back over to bed. "I--" 

Oliver looked at her, quelling, "Don in accounting, huh?" 

"I'm sorry." Felicity whispered brokely. 

"You have no business being sorry, Felicity. I knew I was getting into your life of crime when I signed on."

She managed a smile for him, leaning over the bed to kiss his eyes closed, hand soft on his cheek. Walter moved behind her, shifting a chair for her to sit down on. "I understand that you were captured for knowing the identity of the Hood." Walter began, "I believe I have you and your friend to thank for my still being alive." 

Felicity's lips ticked up, her features soft, "You were kind to me, Walter. A good man. I had to help in any way I could." 

He smiled at her thankfully, turning his dark eyes on Oliver next, "I'm sorry, son--"

Oliver cleared his throat fruitlessly, shaking his head, "He saved me first, Walter. I'm just glad Felicity wasn't harmed." 

Walter looked at her again, eyes flicking to her purpling cheek, "For the most part, in any case." 

"Looks worse than it feels." She assured. Oliver's eyes were big, his features pained. Felicity leaned down immediately, ghosting a kiss over his lips. "I'm okay, Oliver." She whispered. 

"I quite like the idea of you two, Felicity. You're just as stubborn as he is." Walter chuckled. 

Felicity blushed slightly, snorting a laugh. She looked sheepish, her eyes only just avoiding theirs. 

"Hey," Oliver insisted, ducking his head until she had to meet his eye, "I am not running away after one little life-threatening situation. Don't count me out, here, Fee." 

Felicity really should have known Laurel would show up there sooner or later. When she did, Walter offered Felicity a quick trip to a good restaurant nearby, they could bring back half-decent food for their patient and give Oliver and Laurel time for the dramatics. Felicity wanted to decline, but she knew she couldn't. 

"Before you go," Oliver began, and Felicity fussed over his blankets for all of three seconds before he sat up and kissed her on the corner of the mouth. He grinned, young and handsome and a devil through and through, "Thanks for the blanket-arranging. Not being able to use my arms is going to prove difficult." She kissed his forehead, brushing her fingers over his cheek as she turned to follow Walter out, Laurel scowling as she slipped past. 

Walter offered her his arm as they walked down the short way to a small Italian bistro, his eyes kind as ever. 

"Oh, my god, I just realized that the trial--"

Walter chuckled at her wide-eyed horror, "Yes, Mrs. Queen's trial began yesterday."

"Holy snood, it was only yesterday..." 

Walter laughed, "Yes, quite." 

Felicity blushed again, "I'm sorry. I wanted to be there. She did the Glades a favour, confessing." 

"I've been...conflicted for a long while now, about whether or not she's guilty or innocent. I came back for Oliver and Thea; I can understand why she would do anything to protect them, to protect...well, to protect me. I do not condone her, but nor can I condemn her." He shrugged, opening the door for her. "Oliver and Thea have become very precious to me, Felicity. When Oliver first returned, I didn't know if he and I would ever be able to be at peace with each other. But he's a remarkable young man, and I'm all too happy that we've become close." 

They ordered enough food to feed ten, sitting at the bar while they waited. "Thea tells me she approves of you entirely. As do I. I don't pretend that my opinion really weighs on Oliver's decisions, but for as much as it's worth, I will consider you family." 

She blinked back tears, "Walter...thank you." 

He smiled, shaking his head, "I'm happy it's you, to be honest, Ms. Smoak. I admire you for helping the Hood, for helping to find me." 

"I believe in the good the Hood is doing, Walter. I believe that he does good in the end." 

"As do I, Felicity. Which is why I'd like you to relay him a message from me, as a person he's saved: my stepson has been through hell and back, and he will not be put through that again. He will protect you and he will protect Oliver. So long as he does, I will support and help him in any way I can." 

Felicity swallowed, nodding. "I understand, sir." 

"Walter, Felicity. You helped to save my life; you can call me by name." 

Oliver roused to the scent of garlic and spaghetti sauce, his smile sleepy as he opened his eyes to Felicity slipping through the door. "You're an angel." He muttered. 

"They gave you pain meds." She observed. She pressed a kiss to his cheek softly, setting the food on the small table over the bed. "How do you feel?" 

"Horrible; Laurel's jealous and she kind of hates you, and I might be a little stoned." He smiled at her, lifting his head for a proper kiss. "I won't be of much use for a while." She kissed over his face, stroking her thumbs over his cheeks. 

"Oliver...Oliver, I'm so sorry..." She whispered against his lips.

"They took me to make you talk. Means I matter that much to you." 

"You always have." She murmured, "You've always mattered most to me." 

"I wanted to kill Helena when I found you in the office...I put men through walls to get to you when they destroyed your comm in the casino...I almost didn't leave to stop the Dodger because you were so scared I could hear it in your voice. You mean more to me than I ever realized, Felicity, from the very start." 

She kissed him, her hands on his cheeks and her eyes closed. 

"I really wish I could use my arms right now." He muttered. She nipped his lower lip, eyes dangerous, "I'm not staying in the slings for long." 

"We'll just have to see about that..." Felicity told him primly. The door opened as she bent over to lay him back and kiss him, Diggle looking faintly bemused. 

"Your kidnappers are still at large, so I would appreciate it if you made my job easy for the time being, sir." 

"Digg, I am always a perfect angel for you, you know that." Oliver guffawed. 

"We'll be good." Felicity promised, earnest even if Oliver wasn't. "One of them has a tracker in his jacket, though. I slipped mine in while I was struggling. I was working on a way to remote-activate it in such a way that it would grab your attention that I was in trouble, even if I wasn't anywhere suspicious. Instead, I'll have to silently activate it from my computer in Verdant." 

"Felicity, you're a genius." 

"Hunt them down and crucify them, Digg." 

"With any luck, they'll lead us to Deadshot, or get killed by him in their attempt." Oliver murmured, sounding more like himself. "How's Boy doing?"

"Roy." Felicity corrected. 

"He is designated as Boyfriend or Boy until I approve." 

"Is that written somewhere in the nonexistent code of older-brotherdom that you just made up?" He smiled like a stoned baby. "Of course it is. I brought Italian, I'll help you--"

"I can beat up bad guys, I can feed myself in a sling." 

"There are two slings there, Oliver." She took out a box marked Arrabbiata and handed it to Diggle, the Alfredo for Oliver, and a restaurant-specialty red sauce for her. 

"You got white sauce for me 'cause it's easier to clean up." Oliver smiled at her sweetly. From the door, Thea snorted. Felicity was happy to see the smile there; relieved that Thea didn't hate her. 

"You love Alfredo, Ollie." She told him, a small take out container of salad in her hand. 

"You still love me, Thea?" 

"Always, Ollie: you're my big brother and it's kind of my job." Thea pressed a kiss to Oliver's forehead before sitting down on the other side of his bed. "And, yes; I still love Felicity, too. I kind of have to, because...if I'd kept digging for the Hood, it could have been me and Roy there, couldn't it? So...we're in. We'll stop digging, we'll be your eyes on the street."

"He'll protect you, Thea." Felicity promised, "I will, too." 

Thea smiled happily, sitting back in her chair as she watched, amused, as Oliver tried to feed himself with both arms in slings and a small buzz on the pain meds. 

"When we go home, you're gonna stay in my room, not a guest room." Oliver told Felicity matter-of-factly. 

She nodded distractedly as she helped Oliver with his noodles. "I'll stay close." She promised quietly. 

Thea looked like she'd been confronted with a baby cuddling a puppy-sized elephant with it wearing a little hat. "You're so sweet." 

Oliver smiled, finally giving in and letting Felicity work his fork. 

Felicity found herself with a shoulder full of billionaire as the pulled up to the Queen mansion. He hadn't let them give him pain meds again, but Felicity was not above coercion. Oliver was for all appearances asleep on her shoulder, head pillowed on her chest, but Felicity knew he wasn't asleep with the way his fingers reached over the edge of the sling to trace over her arm. "Who knew loving you would be so dangerous." He whispered. She almost didn't hear it, but as the words worked through her head, she curved her hand on the back of his head, bowing her face down into the soft, shorn hair. He hushed her quietly, shifting and sitting up until she could see his face, "I will keep you safe, Felicity." 

"You're going to wear the sling for at least a week, Oliver." She told him, pressing her lips to his forehead. "I got you here, I'll damn well take care of you." 

He shook his head with a smile, kissing her softly on the mouth as the car pulled up to the main entrance. Digg opened the car door, helping Oliver out. Walter, Thea, and Raisa were waiting on the front stoop, smiling at them as they walked up together. "We put your things in a spare room, Felicity; and I've been reading up about dislocations and best-practices, so I'll help you stretch out your arms a few times a day, Ollie--and no over-head reaching. For today, I thought we could retire back to the movie room, this time with no yoga breaks." 

"Roy okay with joining us?" Felicity asked astutely, and Thea looked immediately caught. 

Oliver's brows went up, his look that of a disapproving older brother, but Felicity pinched his side gently and he had to make a concerted effort to put the look away. "He's here?"

Thea flushed, ducking her head slightly, "I couldn't send him back to the Glades while he's still recovering--" 

Oliver's features softened one at a time, "You're right, Thea. Thank you. I should have offered sooner." Thea grinned at him, and Felicity had to stop herself from beaming. 

"I vote 'Despicable Me' as first on the agenda." 

"Oh, my god, yes!" Thea laughed. 

"Is it anything like 'Wreck-It Ralph'?" 

"I'm not telling." Thea teased. "Why? Did 'Wreck-It Ralph' hurt, Oliver? In your soul?" 

Oliver didn't answer, smirking quietly. Thea took off up the stairs, Walter excusing himself back to work, leaving Digg, Felicity, and Oliver in the foyer as Raisa bustled to the kitchen to make them popcorn. 

"The operation Roy was following is leading to a nightclub...Poison." Digg told them with a small smirk. 

Oliver very nearly laughed. "Well: I was banned, but the Hood certainly wasn't." 

"Banned?" Felicity hissed. 

"I...uh." 

"This is one of those things I shouldn't Google since you and I are together now." 

"Pretty much." 

"Speaking of: the America's Next Top Model contestants, Dallas Cowboy cheerleaders, and the Slip'n'Slide?"

"Vodka was involved. Vodka and Tommy." 

"Oh, god." Felicity cracked up, laughing into her hand as she covered her face, "And I am no longer curious anymore. Ever again. Google, you've hurt me in my heart." 

Digg was laughing as he left to coordinate security around the mansion. 

"I'm sorry it hurt you in your heart." Oliver smirked at her, sidling closer, "I'm a different man now--" 

"I know." She smiled at him softly. 

"Felicity...Laurel came to the hospital to see...you and I together. To see what you are I are like together." 

"To see if I make you a better man?" 

"You do." Oliver told her, pulling her in against his side with a small groan as he used his trapped arm

Felicity blushed, her hands on his chest, before she leaned in and kissed him, "Don't hurt yourself. Please." 

"I'm kissing you; nothing hurts right now." He breathed against her lips, smiling. 

"That was a horrible line." Felicity admonished, grinning despite herself. 

"True, but you're still here, so it can't have been that bad."

"Hey! Love birds! We movie-watching or what?!" Thea called. 

Oliver heaved a sigh through his nose, shaking his head, "Coming, speedy!" 

"You're totally going to try to infect Roy into calling me speedy--" 

"No shit, Sherlock!" Oliver laughed, taking off running up the stairs after his laughing little sister. "You can't stop me!" 

"Nooo!" Thea squealed her giggles as Oliver slipped his slings and grabbed her up, swinging her against his chest, "Bad Ollie! Bad Ollie!" 

"Oliver Elizabeth Queen." Felicity scolded, following him up the stairs at a more sedate pace. 

"Oooh, 'The Producers'! Oliver, you have to marry this girl." Thea teased. 

Oliver snorted, standing straight and stalking to Felicity, a dangerous look in his eyes. 

"Ollie, you look like a deranged runway model when you smirk like that." Thea sighed, shaking her head. 

Felicity took a step forward, chin tilted daringly, one brow cocked. "You're in pain." She didn't ask it; she knew, by the tightness in his eyes and the way he moved. "Thea, we'll stretch his arms a little now, then put him back in the slings?" 

"Absotively." Thea marched forwards, and Oliver let them flank him, working at his arms, his fingers tingling slightly as Felicity carefully manipulated the blood flow into them. "It's only for a little while." Thea promised. 

"You're not getting nerve damage." Felicity told him pointedly, and he twitched, his eyes turning thankful. 

They put him back in the slings, ignoring his grumblings as they did. "You should be happy that she's taking it easy on you, Ollie. If it were me, you'd be in these things for all the time you're supposed to be." Thea told him primly, straightening his left sling before walking away. Felicity shot him a smirk from under her lashes, letting out a startled giggle as he hooked around her, yanking her forward into a kiss. 

"I'm really not in any pain, Felicity. I don't need these." Felicity scowled, biting his lower lip before spreading her hand through his hair and pulling him into a harsh kiss. 

"People have died because of that kind of torture, Oliver. That much pain. Please, Oliver. Take care of yourself." She plead quietly. Oliver's breathing caught painfully as he hugged her to him, taking her desperation in his arms and pressing his lips to her hair, breathing deep. "I fell in love with you knowing you weren't going to give me anything but grief, but please..." 

Oliver kissed her, reassuring. They walked in to Roy and Thea bickering about watching cartoons. "It's either cartoons, Roy, or chick flicks." Felicity interrupted. 

Oliver bit down on a snicker at Roy's look of penitence. Felicity sat close, smiling at him as Thea plugged a movie in. She took Roy's hand quietly, her smile soft and sweet; relieved that he was safe. Oliver looked at Felicity as the movie started up, seeing the brightness in her eyes as she rubbed the back of his hand with her thumb. Settling in made him more comfortable than he probably deserved; Felicity and his sister safe with him in the dark as Roy slowly melted into the movie like a child. Thea and Oliver shared a look as Roy got caught up in the cartoon characters, the both of them snickering. It wasn't long before Oliver's warm contendedness began to weigh on his eyelids, the feeling of Felicity right beside him calming something painfully tense inside him. 

He was on the boat when his eyes closed; Felicity lying beside him as the ship pitched gently, safe for the moment. Felicity's skin was soft and smooth under his hand as he pulled her over into his arms, making her shiver as he wrapped around her. _"You trust me too much." He told her._

_"No; I only trust you more than you trust yourself. It's not too much, not when you've never let me down before."_

_"I can't save you."_

_"Then I'll have to save you, Oliver." She kissed him, and he could taste blood, felt the wet of her blood under his hand where he held her to him under the blankets, cradled in his arms, where she was meant to be safe._

"Felicity? FELICITY?!" He woke up screaming for her, only to have her taken from his arms by a thunderous-looking Roy, Thea crying as she held a panicked Felicity in her arms, half-comforting her and half-restraining her. 

Felicity broke through Thea's hold, launching herself across the space and throwing herself into Oliver's arms, her body shaking in his arms. "Oliver, it was just a dream--"

"Just a dream, Felicity? He was trying to kill you!" Roy thundered angrily

"No, no." She breathed, curling her fingers in Oliver's hair and pushing into him so he wouldn't push her away. "It was a night-terror. Like when you dream that you miss a step. His body was reacting to his dream." Felicity had a small trail of blood running from the corner of her mouth, her cheek and eye purpling where he'd hit her, violent in his nightmare, and her hand bleeding from where she'd shattered her glass trying to get him to stop. "Oliver," she whispered, voice soft but strong, "it wasn't you. We're okay. We're okay." She rested her forehead against his, closing her eyes as she shook in his arms, a tear running down her cheek. "Please..." 

"Felicity...I can't..." Oliver wiped the blood away from her lips with his thumb, features a study in horror and self-disgust. 

"Oliver, you didn't hurt me. You never would." She pressed her lips to his then, carefully soft. "You never would, I know you wouldn't." 

"Felicity..." 

"I trust you." 

Roy and Thea looked on, Thea tear-stained and worried; Roy disapproving and angry. "You won't hurt her, Queen." He threatened. "I won't let you." 

Oliver looked at Roy, his arms going around Felicity carefully, afraid to touch her. "Oliver," Thea murmured softly, her eyes burning into his, "you're not going to hurt her." The determination in her voice pinned him through the soul, her meaning piercing through the haze of worry to get his arms around Felicity properly, to hold her and assure her as much as he could. 

He wriggled slightly, throwing the slings away as he lifted her in his arms and carried her out of the room that held the deed, carrying her into the bathroom just down the hall and setting her on the counter. Oliver was more careful with her than he had been with anyone he'd ever performed first aid on; examining her cheek with careful touches, looking at the long gash in her hand with a reverent and painful care. "I'm okay." She breathed. "You didn't hurt me." She raised her fingers, brushing the back of his hand. She pulled him in, locking her legs around his hips and pressing her lips to his, licking into his mouth. "I'm okay." 

"Felicity..." 

"No, Oliver. I'm not letting you do this." She kissed him stubbornly, "I got you hurt, and you didn't care. I don't care that you hurt me, it wasn't even your fault." 

"It was my hands that hurt you." 

"Your hands have healed me, too." She told him, pulling his hands up and kissing his knuckles. "I...I'm not letting you go. I'm not letting you hurt me." 

She was brave as she looked up at him; defiant and beautiful. He had to keep kissing her, to keep her close and safe if it was the last thing he did. She clung to his shoulders, kissing until she was dizzy. 

"What did you dream?" She asked on a sigh. 

"You...you were hurt. You were hurt, I couldn't save you." He whispered, his fingers trailing over the soft skin of her jaw; the silk of her hair.

"You don't need to save me." She grinned sharply, her eyes daring. "You're tired." She told him, brushing her thumb under his eye. She teased the corner of his mouth with her thumb, "Come to bed with me." 

She reached down for his hand, sliding off the counter delicately. "You should let me put some ice on your cheek." He told her softly. 

"I don't want ice. I want you. I want you to hold me; to make me safe in your arms. I want to be wrapped up in you. I want to kiss your scars until you fall asleep with my lips on your skin. Think you could manage that?" 

Oliver swallowed, unwillingly aroused, the grip of his fingers on her thighs dimpling the skin. "Felicity..." 

Felicity shook her head, kissing him until he couldn't remember how to say no. "Take me to bed, Oliver." 

Oliver growled grumpily, hooking her legs around his hips more securely. 

"Where the hell are your slings?" She asked idly, tracing over his shoulders. 

"My arms don't hurt, I'm not lifting you over my head, though it'd be fun, and I will take it easy for a while, but I don't need the slings." He bargained. "I've had worse--" 

"Oliver, I've dug a bullet out of your shoulder and tried not to puke as Digg stitched you up. If you think I in any way forgot that, you are mistaken. But this time, you don't have to hide that you're hurt and you can actually seek out medical attention. I don't give a rat's ass about how you've had worse beyond wishing you haven't; I want your arms in perfect condition by the time the doc said they're supposed to have healed."

"You know, I never considered having a carry-service." Thea commented from the doorway to the movie room halfway down the hall. 

"Innovation." Felicity replied absently, "Slings?" 

"Here." Roy tossed them to her, and she leaned forward to catch them, putting herself in the position for Oliver to start kissing her and neglect to stop until they were in his room. 

Thea snorted as Felicity groaned and resigned herself to not being able to disengage, waving behind Oliver's back before he kicked his door closed behind them. "I don't know if I'm more grossed out or proud." 

"Proud?" 

"She's hot, and she's nice. Laurel wasn't really nice until they were over." Thea shrugged. "I was the tagalong until I was the grieving baby sister." 

Roy's mouth quirked, pulling her in on his good side. 

Felicity's phone shrilled just as Oliver lowered her on the bed, and she flopped back with a groan as it did. "Bad timing is bad!" She shrilled right back at it, but scrambled around a half-tempted-to-ignore-it Oliver to answer the damn thing. "Digg?" 

Oliver knew by the way she froze that it wasn't good. 

"Okay, Digg, stay calm and keep me on the line, put me on speakerphone, I'll threaten from here." Felicity ordered quickly, sliding over and catching up her tablet in lightning-fast movements, heading over to Oliver's desk as she did. "One sec, Digg, be right back." She manipulated her phone for a moment, throwing it onto the table on speakerphone as she got both hands on her tablet. "Tiny, I'm calling in that favour. John Diggle's at Poison, and there're some shady characters closing in. Find him, I'll work it from my end. Clear?" 

"Clear, Miss Felicity." Tim's deep, rumbling bass drawled. 

She switched back over to Digg's call, leaving it on speakerphone. "Digg, help is on its way in the form of Tiny; I'm pulling up Max Fuller's financials now. And everything else I can find." Felicity purred, like she knew she was being listened to by someone other than Digg. 

"Which, knowing her, will be everything." Digg filled in with a smirk in his voice. 

"Oh, look: he has a bastard son he's sent to the slums. Let's just give him a few million dollars, shall we?" Felicity chirped, working her computer fast. 

"How--" Max Fuller's voice came over the speakerphone. "You can't..." 

"Go ahead and check, Mr. Fuller: I just did." 

"No." 

"Let's see: what else can I do? Call the IRS on that club. It shouldn't be in the black, should it, Mr. Fuller, not with how much you pour into fast women and slow horses." 

"You bitch--"

"What did you call the lady?" Oliver heard Tim's boom come through the speaker and drew in a breath. 

Oliver stiffened as he heard the fight break out, but it wasn't long before Fuller's voice was shaking back on the line, "I'll give you anything you want...just don't hurt me." 

"Max Fuller, you have failed this city." Felicity recited, "Your money has been given to your son, and the women you've kept as slaves for all this time. Poison is shutting its doors to all the drugs and whores in this city, and you will not start this again. I will be watching." 

"Wh-Who are you?" 

Felicity looked up at Oliver, her mouth twitching, "I'm the smokescreen." She hung up with a jab of her finger, smiling outright as she leaned back in his desk chair. 

"Smokescreen? Has a nice ring to it." Oliver murmured, walking over to her and bending to kiss her neck as she found the threads of Fuller's operation and rooted them out. 

"I needed Digg to get in so I could access the IP from his smartphone and back-hack through into the protected network." Felicity explained, "Didn't even need the Hood to come crashing in on his injured arms." 

"If I hadn't been injured, you wouldn't have done it like this."

Felicity shrugged, finishing up, "I would have had the Hood carry in what I needed with a threat." She examined the data in front of her for a long moment, "Most of these girls are students of your own alma-mater. Heavily in debt, too. From the school."

Oliver scowled quietly, until Felicity turned to face him. "Cast a light on the school. Something doesn't bode well here." 

"Yes, sir." Felicity quipped, "Can I use your computer? Bigger screen." 

"Absolutely." Oliver answered, and then stopped short. "We were in the middle of something..." 

"We were in the middle of the beginning of something. Pants have to be off before we've reached the middle of it." Felicity told him, using some kind of hoodoo to pull up what was on her tablet onto his computer monitor. Oliver sighed, shaking his head. "We should get something to eat." Felicity commented innocently. 

Oliver narrowed his eyes at the innocence, but left the room to go get her something to eat in two strides. It struck him that she'd inserted the 'we' and he realized she was mothering him by having him take care of her. Chuckling almost proudly, Oliver walked into the kitchen to find Walter sitting at the table, his laptop open on the table in front of him while Raisa busied herself behind him making dinner, "Hello, Walter." 

Walter startled a little, looking up at him, and if Oliver didn't know any better, he might've said Walter blushed, "Oliver. Is everything alright?" 

"Absolutely: Felicity's digging into to something right now, told me to come down and get us something to eat." Oliver nodded. Raisa beamed absently at him, then scurried about getting something for them, "Is everything alright with you, Walter?" Oliver slid into one of the chairs his brows drawn in concern. 

The table was rarely used: only the one time Raisa had been sick, and Oliver and Thea had had to make themselves grilled cheese had they ever sat down here. Oliver would sneak down here when he father was home late, and he and his dad would sit at the table and have ice cream together while Oliver babbled about his adventures that day. Walter heaved a sigh, looking down at his fingers on the laptop, "I...have found myself having trouble being alone, Oliver. I tell you this because you of all people will understand." 

"I do." Oliver agreed easily, "I understand perfectly. It's...difficult. I actually found it even more difficult to get used to not being alone, as well as not wanting to be alone. Digg can attest to that. Thea and I are here for you, Walter; we're family." 

Walter managed a weak smile, taking a deep breath. "Thank you, son." 

Oliver ducked his head, smiling, "It does get better, Walter. It'll be okay." 

"Please...don't tell Thea about the details of how bad it is." 

"I won't worry her, Walter, it's okay. But I will let her know that we need to band a little closer." 

Walter smiled a little more, "Thank you, Oliver." 

"Any time." Oliver shrugged with a genial grin, thanking Raisa in absent Russian as she handed him two plates of food to take back up with him.

Felicity was scowling at his computer monitor like it was underperforming for her, and Oliver bit back a wince. "Felicity?" 

"Okay, so I got through the college rumours and the conspiracy blogs and then pulled up the head of the college's financials, and it turns out that they've driven up the price of admission by five-hundred percent every year since the late nineties, and there's no cause for it. They're filling their pockets more and more. But that's not all: the school has transferred funds from its accounts to dummy accounts that are meant to be upgrading the school, but aren't. The accounts trace back to the head of the school, and Fuller." 

Oliver swept over silently, standing behind her with just as stormy a look. He set down the plate of Raisa's nibble-treats, bending slightly to better read over her shoulder. 

The smell hit his nose just too late as Felicity snagged up a small pastry to pop in her mouth, and he was in motion before she could form the high sound of panic in her throat, spitting it out into a tissue immediately. 

He looked up at her with his hand on her bag, watching as she started coughing. He brought it over and knelt next to the chair, looking through the mess efficiently until he pulled out her epi-pen, preparing it in sure movements before she went into full anaphylaxsis from the nuts in the pasty. He injected her thigh through the yoga pants she was wearing, watching with dulled eyes as the plunger went down under his thumb, sliding Felicity off the chair so that he could hold her in his arms as the allergy was put back under control. 

"You're not supposed to be the exciting one in this relationship, Felicity. Boring IT girl, remember?" He chuckled into her hair, pulling her close and closing his eyes, "Are you okay?" 

She nodded into his chest, pulling in long breaths from there, scented with him; woodsy and deep. She cleared her throat, nodding, "'M okay." 

"Peanut oil. Sorry." He explained, pulling away enough to look at her. 

"That's okay." She told him faintly, adjusting her glasses. "Thanks for reacting as fast as you did." 

He nodded with a smile, bending his head to kiss her. "I smelled it just too late, I knew you'd need an epi-pen." 

Felicity reached up, kissing him. "Thank you, Oliver." 

He cradled her up against him, carrying her to bed. He laid her out on the bed, kissing her long and sweet. "I'll save you from everything I can." 

She hugged him tight, curling her legs around his hips and weaving her fingers through his hair, "I feel safer already." She sighed, easing him into her arms as he laid half on top of her. 

He traced over her chest with his fingertips, eyes a mess of worry and tenderness. 

"If I hadn't been with you just then: I might not have reached the meds in time." 

"Nuts wouldn't kill Felicity Smoak; and if it weren't for me, you wouldn't have had nuts." 

"Not necessarily: I could have had nuts on my own and would have died alone in my office." 

"Don from accounting could have gotten you something laced with them." Oliver agreed, kissing her throat slowly, over the bruise on her cheek, "Felicity..." 

"He was after the Hood, Oliver. Takes it out of my court." Felicity told him simply; allowed him simply. Oliver kissed her mouth hard, boxing her in under him, "Just don't kill him. I don't want him to get an easy-out...he can live in fear for the rest of his life." 

Oliver pulled back slightly to look at her, but it wasn't really surprising when Felicity traced over his injured shoulders, brought up one of his bloodied wrists to press to her lips. "You're angry because he hurt me." He queried slowly. 

"I'm furious because he hurt you. Why? Do you not want me to care that much? Because I have to say, I can do a lot: genius. But I can't do that." 

Oliver hugged her, pressing her small, soft body against his. "You're kind of incredible, Felicity." 

She snickered into his shoulder, curling up so that he could fit behind her without releasing her even a little, and he did just that, looping her hair up so that it would fall over the pillow as he pulled the band from it, kissing the back of her neck. She relaxed back against him, shrinking into his arms until he was pocketing her against the soft, comfortable bed. Neither of them were going to fall asleep, but lying there wrapped up together with nothing in the air between them was soothing in the extreme: the way Oliver's sleep rarely ever was. He was scared of losing her; scared of hurting her like he'd hurt everyone in his life before. He thought of his mother, of Thea, and a painful curl of regret twisted in his chest. He wanted to be a son and a brother that they could have and count on, but he wasn't. He didn't know how he'd make it with Felicity; even with her knowing his secret; even with all her understanding and strength. He'd already put her in harm's way so many times. Helena, the Dodger, letting her stay in the basement of Verdant, almost losing her in Merlyn headquarters, having her walk into that illegal casino with no way of protecting herself besides him, waiting for any sound of trouble from so far outside. He didn't know what he'd have done if they'd hurt her while he was still getting in there. It didn't matter that he'd smashed men through walls: he'd taken long enough that she had a gun on her when he got there. What would have happened if he hadn't made it there? What would have happened if the bastard's trigger finger were a little more jumpy? 

Felicity reached back silently as she felt him work himself back to being tense as a brick wall, getting a handful of his short hair and nudging him with her body. "I don't know how to do this..." He admitted. 

"Yes, you do." She replied quietly, "I love you, Oliver Queen. I trust you enough to swing me over elevator shafts and risk my neck in illegal casinos: I know you will be there for me, I know you will move mountains to keep your friends safe. This? Us being in love with each other? Doesn't change that. It doesn't mean you're going to lose me; it doesn't mean you're going to get me hurt. I am still your friend, I am still your boring IT girl. Us being together doesn't change that; and I know full well that you can still save me, just as much as you could when I was only your friend. Do you understand?" 

"Yes..." Oliver croaked. 

"Don't let me go because you're scared, Oliver. Let be go because you don't want me, or because I'm not enough to keep up with you on this level, not because you think you're going to hurt me. Anyone can get hurt by someone they love. Physically and mentally. You're no different than anyone in that category, Oliver. You're just more of a hero because you're trying to do the whole martyr act before it happens." 

Oliver snorted.

"I'm not saying that you're nuts to want me, though you kind of are; and I think I could probably keep up with being Oliver Queen's girlfriend, even if the number of girls who would throw their panties at you kind of makes me want to growl--" 

"Felicity, of course I want you. You're brilliant, and beautiful, and you make me...looser. More at ease. I can laugh with you, and my past isn't written in your eyes. I can forget the Before and the After and what happened to me on the island while I'm with you, because you're full of light and goodness." Oliver whispered, pulling her over so she was laying on her back, her head pillowed on the arm propping him up, "And every other girl doesn't matter, because you're important enough to trump them all. I don't want someone who wants to date me for being Oliver Queen: I want someone who'll challenge me, who knows the good and the bad and laughs in my face when I try to tell her what to do." 

Felicity flashed a lop-sided grin at that, shaking her head, "That last one sounds like me, yeah." She giggled. 

Oliver shook his head, kissing along her collarbone. "I love you, too." He whispered. "And you're right. I can't walk away from this just because you could get hurt. People get hurt every day." 

"I'm safest with you." 

Oliver smiled at her, sighing as he lowered his head to her chest and listened to her heartbeat. "You are." 

There was a soft knock on the door, Thea's soft call carrying through the door, "Dinner's ready, guys." 

Felicity sighed, grinning. "Tell me there aren't any nut products." Oliver groaned loudly. 

"Oh, my god!" Thea opened the door, padding in. "Fee?"

"Just some peanut oil, I'm fine, thanks to Oliver." Felicity smiled sleepily, rubbing Oliver's hair. They sat up together, climbing off the bed and heading for the hall with Thea on their heels. Roy was waiting outside the door, scowl in place. 

"What happened?" Roy demanded. 

"Allergies to nuts. Oliver saved my life." Felicity replied quietly. Walter was standing at the end of the stairs, just within hearing. 

"Oh, no, Felicity, are you alright?" Walter asked, his eyes concerned. 

She nodded quietly, smiling happily at his kindness. She took the arm he offered her, letting him lead her into the dining room. "I'll go speak to Raisa." Oliver told them, nodding to Felicity as he headed out smoothly to go talk to Raisa about their food choices for the young Miss Smoak. 

"Need be, I'll order something in, Felicity," Walter reassured her expansively. 

"I feel bad, causing so much trouble." She blushed. 

"Hardly!" Walter chortled. "I should have remembered: your personnel file does say--" 

It was all Walter managed to get out before Felicity's eyes widened, her face draining of colour as she sprinted for the kitchen, yelling. 

Raisa was lying face-down on the kitchen floor, the back door hanging open. "They got him again--how the hell...WALTER!" Felicity yelled for the older man to help Raisa, taking off, barefoot with her hair wild, out the back door. There was a stables close enough, Felicity catching sight of the heavy paddywagon trying to get traction to speed down the loose gravel drive on that side of the house. Felicity took off for the horse paddock just behind the stables, throwing herself gracefully over the gate and swinging up onto an unbridled horse. She took off in the direction of the forested coverage between the grounds and the side road, the horse pounding hard and fast--fast enough that they could gain on the ungainly vehicle. Felicity could barely hear or feel a thing as they raced hard for the precariously swaying van, blood pumping in her ears and her breath slipping through her body in a way that made her feel as if she couldn't breathe at all. 

The back door of the paddywagon banged with impact, and Felicity grinned sharply, calmed somehow that Oliver was fighting. As she drew closer, Felicity reached out, her terrified heart squeezing painfully as she grasped a handle bar on the back of the truck, swinging herself off the horse. 

She was unarmed, barefoot, and dizzy with the rush, but she could still climb, hanging onto the roof with sweat-sticky hands as she drew herself up, making too much noise. She jumped, hissing, as a shotgun hole was fired through the roof, just shy of her ankle, and she sat up and slid as quickly and safely as she could, grabbing a dead branch caught in two trees that would have hit her, and bringing it down to use as a blunt instrument. 

She smashed in the side window on the passenger's side, pushing the craggy, snapped end of the branch into the face that came out. She relished the yell, listening to the cacophony of fighting from the back of the vehicle even as she clung desperately onto the truck as it swerved with a violent wrench of sound, overbalancing on its side, Felicity throwing herself into the treeline a breath before she would have gotten caught beneath the heavy metal. Felicity picked herself up, running for the back of the trunk gingerly, her arm scraped up and her feet protesting the stinging nettles. She did what she could to open the door from her side, desperate breaths panting in her ears as the sounds of other cars came rushing towards them. The doors kicked open finally under the heavy hit of Oliver's weight, Oliver collapsing out when he saw her, relief on his face as he fell into her arms. He'd hit his head, blood streaming down the side of his face, and his sweater torn. 

Felicity dropped to her knees with him in her lap, looking over to the back of the car and seeing three knocked out men, one with a shotgun, sprawled along the benches. She only realized tears were running down her cheeks when Walter and Diggle ran up to them, Digg's gun on the back of the van and Walter with utter concern in his eyes, "What in the world happened?"

"Good question." Digg growled out, kneeling next to Felicity and picking something up from behind her. Her glasses were unsalvageable, and felicity tried to remember where her spares were until she realized that those were her spares. "We can order some for you, I'm sure, Fee." 

Felicity hiccoughed, but it sounded more like a sob, letting Digg pull her against his shoulder comfortingly. 

"Oliver?" 

"I'm okay." Oliver replied quietly, "Just dizzy." 

"Concussion." Felicity diagnosed. "I didn't expect the van to flip, I'm sorry--" 

"What did you do?" Oliver asked, something like pride in his voice. 

"There was a dead branch in the tree, so I grabbed it and used it as a blunt instrument. I thought they'd stop, but the loose gravel, with such a heavy truck, it made the weight overbalance when the driver swerved." 

"You've done brilliantly, Felicity." Walter told her, holding out his hand. "We'll take you back to the house, clean up, and then Mr. Diggle and I will have a conversation about the security of these grounds." 

Digg looked furious at himself, and Felicity wanted to make it better, but she was too hyped up to know how, shaking with adrenaline as, one by one, the injuries she'd sustained made themselves known. Oliver sat up, Digg helping him up, and Felicity could take Walter's hand up herself, reaching for Oliver the moment they were both upright. 

"I think finding somewhere anonymous might be in order." Walter intoned gravely. He rested a steadying hand on Oliver's back from around Felicity's shoulders, leading them back to a car Tim had just climbed behind the wheel of. 

"What about the horse?" Felicity asked faintly, looking down the road for it. 

"He'll be headed back to the stables." Oliver assured her. 

"I think I should reconsider lasic with my lifestyle." Felicity muttered abstractly, going still as Oliver looked over her scraped up side. 

"Felicity, don't do anything unless you want to." 

"Might need to." 

"I will pay for every pair of glasses it costs, Miss Smoak; and I'll pay for lasic. It's up to you. But do what you want: don't change because you think it's necessary." 

Felicity smiled slowly, closing her eyes to stop her brain from trying to focus her vision in vain. "I want...to go back to my bed and sleep." She decided, voice high as she sighed it out. She didn't have to tell him that she wanted to do it alone, receiving a soft kiss before he got out of the car with Walter. "Get your head looked at." She ordered sleepily. 

Tim half-carried her into her apartment, helping her stumble her way through the foyer and up the stairs, unlocking her door for her and checking her apartment for anyone uninvited before giving her a big, white smile and helping her inside, quietly saying good night and ducking back out once she'd thanked him. 

She looked at herself in the mirror as well as she could: she wasn't about to waste a set of contacts to look herself over and then pass out, but she could make out where the worst of the scrapes were as she stripped off her clothes, hissing and wincing, before into the shower and then crawling into her bed. She felt utterly wrung out, drained and in pain as she whimpered, tears slipping out of their own accord. She reached over, hugging the pillow to her as she turned on her side. 

She knew she was being watched over, knew that she had to pull up her big-girl panties and deal with it all tomorrow, but for now, she could fall asleep in a familiar place, licking her wounds and finding her centre without anyone to see. 

Come eleven the next morning--just as Felicity was scraping herself out of bed--Diggle was knocking on her door with two coffees and a bag of something that smelt divine, a small grin on his face. "Good morning, Briar Rose." 

"Hi, Digg." She yawned, moving to let him in. 

He moved to the bar in the kitchen, setting down the coffee and pastry to reach in his pocket for something else. He drew out a small bag, handing it to Felicity and turning to the kitchen to find her mugs and to take down the small, colourful plates. "Oliver wanted to have those hand-delivered here by the store, but I told him that I'd take them. And I figured you could use a breakfast fit for a hero this morning, so I told Carly about your day and she whipped something up for the two of us." Felicity slid the glasses onto her nose and the world came into focus finally. She turned to the mirror in the foyer, gasping as she caught sight of the TARDIS-blue frames. "He picked those out for you, by the way. Wouldn't tell me how he knew you're a Whovian, but knew nonetheless. He broke in here, didn't he?" 

Felicity bit her lip and nodded, turning to Digg as he fixed her coffee to be just the way she liked it--more candy than coffee, with sugar substitute, of course--and eagerly rolling the paper bag open. She gasped gleefully as she pulled out raspberry strudels and lemon tarts. The lemon reminded her of her own wares, and she moved over to the fridge, pulling out a tray of lemon and poppyseed muffins. "I made these before getting swept up in hurricane Queen." 

"Still amazes me what you can cook up, Fee." Digg laughed, "So: did he break in here?" 

"Yes." Felicity groaned, giving in as she tore into a raspberry strudel. "But I got him back." 

"That stretch thing you do?" Digg laughed. 

"Yep." 

"That's my girl." He chuckled, proud. She grinned into her coffee, looking down, "What you did yesterday, Felicity? That...that was amazing. That was Hood-worthy." 

"I killed someone." Felicity mumbled through numb lips, "Sure, it was a bad someone, but I...I killed the guy in the passenger seat of that van." 

"Felicity...nothing I say will make this better, but I will say this: you saved Oliver yesterday. You save him a lot. And...I know that because of us...your boring, IT days are over. I know that because of us...you've seen death, and now you've caused it. But, Felicity, what you have to understand is that it does not change who you are that you accidentally killed a man--because killing him wasn't your intention. You didn't know the driver would swerve hard enough to tip, you did not premeditate this, and nor do I feel like you're guilty of it. You did want was necessary to save our friend, and your lover.You're a damn good woman, Felicity Smoak: and this changes none of that." 

Felicity had traitor tears running down her cheeks, so Digg stepped around the island and hugged her, not soothing or hushing, but giving her support. 

"Oliver is okay," he murmured when she pulled herself together a bit more, "and the other guys in the van are in custody now, but we don't know who sent them yet. You feeling up to doing some digging? To coming back?"

Felicity managed a watery smile back, "You didn't bring my things, huh?" 

"Thea wouldn't let me. And I'm beginning to see what Oliver means when he says that she's not someone you just walk away from. The girl has powers, and I'm pretty sure she's using them for evil." 

Felicity laughed softly, shaking her head, "For now, we feast." 

"Then I'll patch you up some." Digg agreed. 

"And after, I'll go and face the fact that I left." 

"You needed to, Fee. Oliver and I didn't get a chance to, our first time killing. There was no finding normal. No going home. You're still you, Felicity." 

She took a long drink from her coffee, sighing happily as it pushed through her. "Call him in from the cold, Digg: I do want to see him, I just...needed last night." 

The door opened behind her, and Oliver came striding in, his temple bandaged for stitches. She turned and flew into his embrace as carefully as she could, a small sob in her throat. He wrapped around her, burying his face in her neck and banding strong arms around her waist. "Are you okay?" 

"Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. Thank you for the glasses. They're perfect." She whispered. 

"I got you three more pairs, Felicity, just in case." She laughed, cupping the back of his head softly. 

"I'm sorry...I just needed...I needed to..." 

"I understand." He interrupted. "It's okay, Felicity." 

He pressed a kiss to her forehead, his eyes roving over the side of her face, down her arm. There were burns like carpet rub on her hands from where she'd held on to the roof of the truck, and her knee hurt, though not enough to make her limp, thankfully. He took her waist against his side, walking them back to the island and depositing her in the chair Digg pulled out. 

Felicity sighed and let him look as Oliver pulled the strap of her undershirt down, looking at the scrapes on her shoulder and down her arm, kneeling to look at her leg, too. 

"Who taught you how to climb onto moving vans?" Digg joked, smirking over the island as she begrudgingly let Oliver look her over. 

"I was a tenacious child, and we had metal slides for the youngins to try to climb up where I came from." She quipped happily back. She picked up a muffin, peeling the paper off and leaning back in her seat, "Oliver, try this and tell me if the crumb is right?" She fed him a piece, and Digg watched in growing amusement as she kept breaking pieces off and feeding them to Oliver without pausing their conversation or him cluing in to what, exactly, she was playing at. 

"I'm more curious about her horseback riding." Oliver commented between pieces. 

She shrugged, "I lived in farm country: I wasn't very good at sports, but riding? That I could do. Once I got over fear of the horses being bigger than me." 

"Thea told me that she never got to ride that horse you rode because he's too nervous around even the stable hands." 

"Weird." Felicity frowned, taking a gulp of coffee and grabbing up a muffin for herself--and action that Oliver actually mirrored. "I don't have my equipment with me, or I'd tell you if we got a ping on Don from accounting." 

"We're not going back to the club for a while. Not while we're both injured and the cold would do us no good." Oliver told her, stealing a sip of her coffee and, shockingly enough, not wincing at it. "In stead: we should look into finding somewhere to stay until the house gets set up with state-of-the-art security." 

"As your resident IT girl, I want my hands all over this." Felicity told him, tone brooking no argument. 

"Not today." Oliver argued anyway, "When we get that far, you're my go-to girl." 

Felicity pinned him with a look, then slowly nodded. "Deal." 

"We're going to very publicly get onto a plane, and secretly get off the plane, double back into the city, and find somewhere safe and quiet. Walter's going to stay with Roy and Thea in a company apartment in the city, but it's actually us I'm more worried about." 

Felicity nodded, quietly subsiding into thought, "Well, I can think of a few high-security apartments in and around the city. You'll probably want to hood-up and evict the other tenants, though." Felicity told him with a quirk of a grin. 

"I'll just have to resist that impulse for the time being..." Oliver muttered, unimpressed by that news, and unsurprised Felicity could recall that information at will. "With regards to Tim acting as your bodyguard: he's a little conspicuous, given that he's over seven feet tall."

"I'm not worried about that right now. I'll be going into hiding with you: I'll be safe." 

Digg excused himself for a moment, stepping into the living area to take a call. "Felicity, if you need more time alone, or--" 

"Oliver, I'm okay, really. I just...I needed not to be comforted. Does that make sense?" 

"Yeah, it does...no, not really, but I do understand." He smiled, "You needed to feel like you were still you." 

"I did." Felicity sighed in agreement. "But I still don't." 

Oliver slid his hand over hers, looking her in the eye without a qualm, "Felicity, you've saved a lot of lives. And now you've saved mine, too--" 

"You would have fought your way out on your own, I just didn't want to have to go through all the trouble of being sick with worry and tearing the map apart to find you." Felicity inserted with a grin. 

Oliver's lips twitched with a laugh held back, and he shook his head, "Nevertheless: you stopped the men that kidnapped me. You didn't want any casualties, because I know you: you never want casualties. But there was one, an accidental one, and you were there for me to fall into when I doubt I would have made it very far, as concussed as I was." 

"Oh, dear god.." Felicity breathed, ducking her head like it was a prayer. "You're not gravely injured, right?" 

"No, I'm not. I stayed up all night so I didn't fall into a coma--" 

"You did that here, didn't you? Not in a hospital." Felicity groaned. "I knew you were watching me, I just hoped you'd sent someone else instead!" 

Digg actually laughed at her, but Oliver looked unamused at the fact that she was angry with him. 

"You are the single most stubborn man I've ever met, including my Marine father!" Felicity gesticulated angrily with her coffee cup, eyes wild. 

Digg was laughing harder, snorting into his coffee as he tried to take a sip and hide behind his mug, "Fee," he chortled, "you and I both know how likely it is that he will send someone else to do a job he deems necessary to do." 

"While that is true...okay, fine, that's kind of unexceptionally true, but you frustrate me greatly, Mr. Queen, this is not how courting works!" 

"You two passed the point of courting around the time you tried to keep us from being near you while you had a bomb collar on." Digg pointed out. "And you should have seen his face when he saw you in that dress." 

"I did: it was gratifying." Felicity confirmed, going from angry to bouncy in a single bound. 

Digg shook his head at Oliver's look of confusion, leaning his elbows on her counter and toying with his coffee cup. "I can't decide if it was then that I realized he was falling for you, or if it was when he came in with his mother's copy of the list and told me it was from you." 

"I think I started to fall around the time I climbed into her car, instead of anyone else's." Oliver told her softly. 

Felicity and Digg both snorted, "Uh-huh." Felicity chirped. 

"Sure." Digg added drily, "Be romantic at someone else, Oliver: Felicity's got you pinned." 

"Oooh, dirty!" Felicity chirped, turning for her bedroom, "Time for pants, boys, I'll be right back!" 

Digg chuckled, looking at Oliver as he ate another muffin, "The guys from yesterday were hired to kidnap a member of the Queen family. They don't know who hired them." 

"So it was a ransom kidnapping." Oliver deducted. 

"Probably." Digg agreed, turning as Felicity padded back out, wrestling with her hair. "Wow." Felicity had put on a colourful little dress and a suit jacket, her make-up understated but powerful, and her hair tightly tamed into a bun on the crown of her head, fastened with a small band around her curls. "What's the occasion?" 

"These places have high-end apartments, Digg." Felicity grunted as she shoved her feet into plain, black flats. "I'm not getting laughed out of the building." She straightened herself out.

"Felicity--" Oliver began, but a look from her cut him short. 

"It's only slightly less comfy than my usual attire, Ollie, I'm fine." She remarked, reaching around him for a lemon tart. She froze like a merecat hearing a coming stampede, whirling back for her bedroom and grunting loudly as she dragged out a pre-packed trunk she always had waiting beneath her bed. "Okay: let's go." 

Oliver was yanked back from going to help her with the unweildy trunk as she stuffed the rest of the tart in her mouth and started the shuffle for the front door with her bag flung haphazardly across the top. Digg and Oliver moved as one to flank her, taking the trunk out of her hands with ease. "What's in here?"

"'Mff cwos." She got out around her mouthful. 

"You're going to have to tell us this story, Fee." Digg told her, amused. 

She made a sound translating to 'fine', dashing back to the counter and repacking the pastries, dumping their empty cups in the sink so she'd have a moderately clean home to come home to. She sprinted back out the door, locking it behind her, only to have to huffily tell off her helpers that she'd gotten it upstairs alone, they bloody well could do it together. 

Digg was wearing a stupid grin as he and Oliver manoeuvred the trunk under her expert direction, and Felicity narrowed her eyes at him, "You're more comfortable." He told her simply. 

Felicity felt her cheeks flush slightly, "I know where I fit." She replied, almost on a whisper. 

Oliver looked over his shoulder at her, his eyes assessing. "Because now you're exactly where you fit." He told her, changing his hold on the trunk just before Digg lost his grip on his half, taking the weight with ease. 

"Will you two just let me do it, please?" Felicity sighed, rolling her eyes. 

"No." The boys answered in unison, Oliver shooting her a heart-stopping grin and Digg wheezing a laugh. 

"Pretty sure this thing is bigger around than you are." Oliver told her. 

"It is. I could actually fit into it if I really wanted." 

"Why do you have a packed trunk waiting under your bed?" 

"For my Hogwarts late admission letter to arrive, Digg," she muttered sardonically, "Because I have a habit of having the urge to run." 

Oliver paused slightly, not looking at her, "Why?" 

"Because when you get to know people, when people are in your life and expect things from you, the walls start to close in. I never had a real chance to run when it was at its worst when I was young, but now I do, so if I can't shake it off; I'm ready." They finally reached the bottom and Oliver turned to her, Digg and Tim taking over with the trunk. 

"Would you run from me, or could I come with you?" He asked softly, eyes searching for something. 

"I really doubt I'd run from you...and I haven't wanted to run since you made me your gal Friday." She shrugged, "I think I'd only want to run now if something really horrible happened." 

Her hand slid into his like it belonged there, and they walked out into the midday light to the flash of too many cameras. Oliver pulled her in, putting one hand up to shield her from the flashbulbs, the scowl of an angry, protective boyfriend on his face. 

"Mister Queen, is it true you've been kidnapped twice in the last week?" 

"What's your name, sweetheart?" 

"From supermodels and professional cheerleaders to an IT girl in your own company--?"

"Miss Smoak, how do you react to Walter Steele's comment that his stepson's decisions are of his own devising?" 

"Were you a regular at Verdant?" 

"Felicity," Oliver murmured right in her ear, his hand on the small of her back as he helped her get into the car, "may I?" 

She threw caution to the wind with one look in his eyes, nodding as she slid into the backseat and scooted over, Oliver turning to the flocking press, "Ladies and gentlemen of the press, my girlfriend, Miss Felicity Smoak, and I have been attacked recently, in Queen mansion. As such, we'll be leaving town until the threat is nutrilized. As such, I would like to say this to whoever those bastards are," Oliver focused directly into a video camera shoved into his face, blue eyes utterly unforgiving, "If you think you can tear my happiness from me; if you think you can hurt the woman that I love, you are sorely mistaken." 

Felicity bit back a smile, knowing he wasn't Oliver Queen there, but the Hood. Oliver flashed a playboy smile, stepping into the car as Digg and Tim got into the front unsieged. Felicity slid over, threading their fingers together and smiling at him, "Maybe we should try getting some information your way." 

Oliver lifted an eyebrow, remembering the conversation in Big Belly Burger, "What did you have in mind?" 

"We have one of them, put the fear of God into him." She answered simply. "Tim? I need to go get that duffle bag." 

"Yes, ma'am." Tim drawled, "Time to take world, Miss Smoak?" 

"Nah. Time to save it, Tiny." She winked at him with a big grin, settling back as Tim took the familiar root to Verdant. 

"What duffle bag?" 

"I like having back-ups." She replied ominously.

Tim got out of the car at the side-entrance to the club, helping her out with a gracious smile. 

Oliver and Digg leaned as far as they could, watching as Tim opened the kitchen entrance like it was nothing and escorted Felicity in with a small bow. The heavy metal door swung shut behind them, though; leaving Digg and Oliver wondering. 

Tim came out with a nondescript blue duffle over one shoulder and Felicity arm-in-arm with the chef behind him. Felicity kissed both the man's cheeks, sliding back into the car and bringing the duffle onto her lap with her when Tim opened the door for her. 

"What back-ups are you talking about?" Oliver asked quietly. 

Felicity shrugged, looking innocent, "You'll see." 

By the time they'd found something suitable, played the rouse, and returned to the safe house, Oliver had almost forgotten about the duffle. When Felicity heaved it onto the coffee table, unzipping it smoothly, his interest piqued immediately. 

Felicity took out computers and cables like they didn't matter, reaching into the bottom with a look of extreme concentration, something in the bottom snapping under her manipulation. 

"This one's a prototype," She muttered, tossing a green hood onto Oliver's lap. She brought out a bow and quiver full of arrows, setting them on the ground between them as she pulled out a replica of most everything they used together. "The outfit's bulletproof, breathable, and flexible so you can fully move. I've been working on it, had it fabricated by a friend who ended up in the fashion industry. I still want to test it on knives and close-range shooting, I'm not sure about that, but it should do better than just running around in a leather jumpsuit." 

Oliver hefted the bow, testing the weight of it in his hands. 

"It's a newly-designed polymer. Anything short of a tank shouldn't be able to break that baby. I debated adding a switchblade option to the ends, we can talk about that. As for the arrows, we have the usual suspects plus a tear-gas grenade--use from great distances, Oliver, so help me--and a grappling arrow that can sense flaws in the structure of what it's being aimed at, just in case." Oliver was staring at her, so she shut her mouth with a click, taking a slow breath, "I know that you didn't ask for any of this, and I was totally butting in, but I got to thinking and then I couldn't get the thoughts out of my head, so I started making things, and then next thing I know, I'm elbow-deep in taser-shafts with blunted heads and looking up the exact chemical compound for bear bomb to see if areal dispersal without directly spraying into face would work. I mean, Febreze from close enough hurts like a mother--I've used it!--but if you're walking into a drug deal or tearing apart the Triad, I'd rather you be in a whole other building than close enough to Febreze anyone into blindness. The...uh. The safer the better." 

Oliver set aside the bow, and the quiver, cupping her cheek in his hand and leaning in to kiss her, soft and long. 

"I keep it all locked up in a false bottom in freezer in the kitchen. The chef uses the top layer for delicacies that are a little more delicate, legally speaking, but I have the false bottom that Tim and I set up a system for: little pneumatic dropbox in the alley there that brings the flashdrive into the container under the bag, then sends it back when I remotely enter the passcode for it. Then Tim has it when I walk in." Felicity explained in a huge deluge, looking almost nervous. 

"But you won't have the files from the night you--" 

"I do. Tim was there that night, and I take the drive with me automatically: I grabbed it when you picked me up just from reflex, and Tim took it from me when he saw I had it when I waved to him." 

"So you and Tim have been really close." 

"I might have gotten Tim the job so that he could keep an eye out for me." Felicity admitted. "He and I were friends in high school. I used to get teased mercilessly, and Tim scared the living shit out of anyone who tried to mess with me too bad. He's a teddybear...he just still has his claws and fangs." Felicity grinned, hand flying up to adjust her glasses. 

Oliver looked amazed, pulling in her in as the door allowed Diggle access. "So, we have a panic code in case you're being forced to open the door, which alarms--" 

"Me, then Detective Lance." Felicity informed him, "We each have our own passcode, and if there's a proverbial sock hanging on the door handle, your code just won't let you in." 

Oliver looked almost abashed, but impressed, fighting his grin. "Thank you." Diggle replied in all seriousness. 

"The cameras outside the door take facial recognition and if it hasn't been told that the person trying to get in is the right person, or if the right person trying to get has guests--which the security downstairs takes care of--then steel bars about an inch and a half in diameter will lock into place in the door and the surrounding two feet, and the alarm will trigger. There is no fire escape because this place will sense the spike in heat readings and smoke density and will pour a gallon of extinguisher foam exactly where the spike is coming from within seconds." 

"I think this would be a fantastic place for you to live, Mr. Queen." Diggle teased him drily. 

"I'll take that under consideration, Mr. Diggle." Oliver looked at Felicity, calculating, "So, those other arrows you were talking about..."

Felicity grinned. 

Oliver was testing the grappling arrow, aiming it at random things, while Felicity and Digg argued over voltage to put in the taser arrows. "So the arrow flashes a red light when it's unsound?" 

"Yep. Green means go, yellow means it'll do in a pinch, and red means you're going to get your ass dropped from a great height." Felicity told him, exasperation in her voice from arguing with Diggle. "Oliver, would you be able to get two shots off to drop a giant biker dude, or should I make you a quiver to charge the taser to specifications?" 

"I'd be able to get two shots off, easy." Oliver answered. "But you're still going to make a new quiver, aren't you?" 

"I totally am!" Felicity groaned, dropping into her chair limply, covering her face with her hands, "I've already come up with half the schematics while I was arguing about it. I hate my brain." Oliver set the bow down on the stack of scribbled ideas and blueprints, crouching in front of her chair. 

"Don't." Oliver told her simply. 

"Can't not, Oliver. It'll help you: I'll make it." 

"How much have you spent doing this, Felicity?" 

"Most of it's been favours. I have friends in weird places." She shrugged. 

"Felicity." 

"It doesn't matter. I wasn't even sure I could do any of this, let alone be able to give any of it to you--" Oliver's fingers traced up her arms, bringing her hands down into his. 

"This is like Christmas, Felicity." 

"Last Christmas you ended up in the hospital in critical condition, Oliver." Felicity pointed out. He smiled, shaking his head as he pressed her palm to his cheek, letting her fingers scrub lightly over his jaw and leaning his head into the touch. 

"This is like a real Christmas. Thea isn't mad at me; you're with me; for now, the city isn't being attacked. And I'm getting showered in presents I don't deserve." His blue eyes were bright, childlike, and Felicity couldn't stop from grinning at them. 

"I can see why you were spoiled." Felicity commented, bringing her hand up and sweeping her fingers down from his temple to his jaw, "I bet you were a horror to poor Raisa." 

"I was." He grinned, reaching forward and sweeping her up off the chair. She squeaked, clinging to him to keep steady as he carried her to the couch and dumped her down. "I was adorable and such a little shit." He shook his head, sliding onto the couch behind her. Digg quietly slipped out the door, letting the love birds have their time. Oliver arranged them so that Felicity was lying on her back with him propped on his side beside her, her legs over his. "Tell me how to spoil you rotten, too." 

"Don't come back shot." Felicity answered immediately. "Or stabbed. Or let Diggle beat you up again." 

"Those would be your qualifications for being spoiled?" 

"Absolutely." Felicity grinned. 

Oliver groaned, "Why couldn't you ask for a sports car?" 

"It'd be too easy." Felicity joked right back, basking in Oliver's grin. "Though, now that you mention it, there are some bloodstains in the back of my car that need removal before the lease is up, please." 

Oliver's eyes widened, his features unhappy. "Of course." He breathed, "I can't believe I forgot." 

"You were shot." She snorted. "I wasn't even going to ask--" She was cut off, muffling into the kiss Oliver coaxed her into. 

"Don't avoid asking me for things you need, especially when I necessitate the need." Oliver murmured, rubbing his thumb in lazy circles over her hipbone. Pressing slow kisses to her collarbone, Oliver hummed happily as she reached up, scratching lightly through his hair. "You aren't alone in this. If you need something, just tell me." 

"Just because you have money--"

"Felicity, I have money, and I can use it. You don't need to spend your money on my crusade." 

"It's not just yours anymore, Queen." Felicity rose up, kissing him sweetly. 

"I'm your bankroll, then." Oliver licked her mouth open, sliding his hand under her back and lifting, kissing her long and deep. 

Felicity chuckled, rolling, pressing against him. His hand slipped under the strapless bodice, tracing a calloused hand over her soft, bare skin. She shivered against him, moaning into his mouth as her arms tightened around his shoulders, her leg sliding up over his hip, body pushing closer on the couch. He rubbed down her sides, working her jacket off and throwing it to the side. Her skin broke out in goosepimples, his warmth flooding into her with every touch. He pushed a knee between her legs, making her arch against against him with a breathless moan. 

"No phones are ringing..." Oliver murmured, voice hopeful. 

"No, they aren't." Felicity agreed. Oliver grinned, pawing at her hair, tracing over the back of her neck with a rough thumb. He curled his hand around her knee, pushing over so that she laid under her, his hand buried through her hair. She sighed, bringing her other leg around his, keeping him against her. He laid sloppy kisses down her neck, rubbing his teeth against her collarbone. She bucked against him, moaning breathlessly. He reached up, rubbing just under her lower lip as he nipped a mark into her skin. 

He lifted up slightly, looking down at her battered skin with furrowed brows, leaning down to kiss along her injuries, wishing to heal her with just a simple brush of lips. He shut his eyes, face solemn, like he was praying. She hushed him, bringing him in for a kiss. Her blunt nails scratched down the back of his neck, his arms banding beneath her tightly as he groaned happily. "Tell me?" 

She passed her hand over the bandage, the other palming over his shoulder, "You need to tell me, too, Oliver." She kissed over his jaw, scratching behind his ear. She got her hand under his sweater, bringing it up and throwing it to the ground, unbuttoning his shirt with clumsy fingers. 

She spread his shirt with hasty touches, groaning as she set her hands to his shoulder, the other hand sliding to the ruined skin of his lower back, moaning as his teeth worried her lower lip, his hands cupping against his the curve of her ass, clutching her against him even though he made no move to take off her dress. She pressed her mouth to the Bratva tattoo, tracing over his scars with gentle fingers. Oliver sank into her softness, melting into the warmth she brought him. She shifted, kissing down his chest as far as she could, licking over his scars and moaning as he caught her chin and raised her mouth to his. They kissed lazily for ages, tracing their hands over each other, sleepy and relaxed. They'd been like that for hours when Oliver finally pecked kisses over her lips, down her cheek. He pillowed his forehead against her neck, closing his eyes as she held him tight. 

She sighed, catching her breath properly for the first time since they'd started, settling under him comfortably, her eyes fluttering closed, "Are we taking it slow, Mr. Queen?" 

He nodded sleepily, kissing the hollow under her collarbone and sighing, "Are you comfy?" 

"If you so much as think about moving, I'll hit you." Felicity mumbled, lashes pillowed on her cheeks. 

"Deal." 

They woke up a few hours later, drowsy but happy. "This couch is fabulous." Felicity groaned, stretching even with Oliver's weight still half-covering her. 

Oliver groaned his sleepy agreement, neglecting to open his eyes, blindly reaching for her and coaxing her into a kiss. "I'm starved." He murmured, "We should get something to eat...come back and sleep more." He mumbled, nuzzling her cheek with a small grin. 

Felicity's computer sprang to life with a bleep, "That's Digg." 

"He in trouble?" 

"Might be." Felicity grunted as Oliver rolled off of her, letting her roll off the couch, stumbling to the computer and pulling up screens and GPS maps, processing things within seconds. "He's not in trouble, but the guy I slipped the tracker onto is dead. Digg was...interrogating him when two shots were fired through the guy's window." 

"Deadshot." Oliver growled. 

"Yep." 

"Did Digg get anything out of him?" 

"He was a mercenary. The job was done--but the other guys he knew in the operation have been dropping like flies." 

"So..." 

"So Don from Accounting? More dangerous than originally suspected." 

"I knew I should have stabbed him with the arrow." 

Felicity shook her head, sighing, "Liquid oxygen so you wouldn't drown; the peanut oil was slipped into the kitchen so that I'd be incapacitated and they'd be free to kidnap anyone from the Queen family without me being dragged into it; he's been with QC for at least two years..." 

"It's not about the Hood, though he knows who I am." Oliver realized. He had to sit, trying to get that through his head.

"You're being hunted." 

"You were with me, so they kidnapped you, too." 

"It's not about me, or about the Hood. It's about your family." 

"I don't understand." 

Felicity took a deep breath, calculating. "I need to do some work--" 

"I'll call Digg, ask him to bring something to eat." Oliver promised her, kissing her hair before moving to the bedroom, where their things had already been unpacked, grabbing a comfortable change of clothes for her and one of his hoodies. She glanced up as he set the bundle down at her elbow, squeaking as he bent to steal a kiss. "Change." He ordered.

She snorted, taking the clothes. She unfolded the pants, wriggling them up under the skirt of her dress and pulling the oversized shirt on over her head, grunting as she worked the dress down from under the clothes, kicking it off and pulling the hoodie on, groaning happily as she let her hair down over her shoulders, sliding the band out of her hair, too. Her fingers were quick and sure as she wove her hair into a plait down her back, keeping it out of her face without pulling on it. "Thank you." She sighed, smiling happily as she leaned in and kissed him. He brushed his fingers over her shoulder, catching her in for one more kiss. She didn't respond, flinching away instead, making Oliver's eyes fly open with worry. "Oliver, shit! It just twigged: if Don's not after you or me, he'll go for Walter and Thea--" Felicity pushed past him in a panicked flurry of activity, Oliver going for his own phone as Felicity pressed in the number for Digg. 

Oliver waited with bated breath as the call to Thea rang, nearly vibrating. 

"Digg, get to Thea and Walter as fast as you can. The Hood isn't the target; the Queens are." Felicity got out in a rush. 

"Thea?!" Oliver burst out the second her phone clicked over. "Roy? What happened?" 

Felicity swore violently, pulling open security cameras from around the apartment the others were hiding in. 

"I'm not seeing anything." Felicity swore angrily. 

Oliver held up his hand, "They're in the apartment." He ground out, grabbing the hood and bow, heading for the door. "I'm on the comm." He shouted back, and Felicity activated it with a flick of her hand. 

"I'm not seeing any vehicles around the building that could hold two fully-grown people." 

"Either they have a driver waiting, or they don't intend to take anyone with them." 

"And Roy?" 

"He and Thea managed to barricade themselves in the bedroom: Walter's done the same in the office of the apartment. Entry's from the roof, through a window." 

Felicity hissed angrily, "Oliver, what did we agree on the state of your returning?" 

"I'm in body armour now, Fee; thanks to you." He chuckled. "I really like this, by the way, good job." 

"Where did you learn to quick-change?" Felicity wondered. 

Oliver snorted, and she knew he was doing something stupid and reckless by the way his breathing changed. 

"I'd really like to know who this bastard is and why he's after your family before you swing in there, Oliver." She reminded in a breathless, sing-song voice. 

"Think fast, Fee," She heard a familiar confirmation beep and then an arrow fly. 

She wracked her brain for any idea she could run with. "Years at QC...how many years at QC?" Felicity straightened, sliding the chair over to start furiously looking through files. "Shit. Oliver, he was with your father from the start. Partner cut out of the deal; he and your dad were set to make millions, but the men they were making the deal with got the same vibe Thea and I got. Cut him out. Your dad gave him a job at QC on the hush, and he's been embezzling for years." 

"Embezzling from the Hood's family business." Oliver almost snickered. 

"He's been diagnosed with inoperable brain cancer, Oliver: he's striking now, while he still has a chance. One thing about money: you can't take it with you. And as for revenge? Not so doable unless you're a victim of some ancient Egyptian curse that will bring you back with the plagues of Egypt." 

"Dying and desperate." Oliver groaned. "Fantastic." 

Felicity froze, her eyes flying wide. "Oliver, which window are you going through?" 

"Uh...living area, why?" 

"Th-There's an experimental arrow in the quiver: should be closest to your back, it'll be a little heavy. Fire it first." 

"What is it?" 

"An audio-arrow. Loaded with a high-frequency pitch that should knock out anyone in the room, if not the apartment. If it doesn't knock out anyone else in the apartment, it'll discombobulate...And it'll blow out every window in range." 

"I'm on the building opposite." Oliver breathed, voice distracted, "Firing now." 

Felicity held her breath, squeezing her eyes closed. She heard the arrow fly, impact, and a dull pitch that managed to carry through the comm. "Oliver?" 

"I had the foresight to cover my ears, Fee, thanks. Every window in the level above above and below are knocked out, too. Might want to make it slightly less potent. Guys inside are down." 

"Thea and Roy?" 

"Don't know yet." Oliver grunted as he set up a shot to end up through the window he'd targeted. "Call Lance for me, and get another set of rooms for them." 

"Absolutely." 

Felicity listened carefully, tense as Oliver clattered through the window. "Bleeding from the ears on the guys trying to break in. No Don."

"He's in chemo right now." Felicity dug up. "Thea and Roy?" 

"Out cold, but they seem otherwise unharmed," Oliver moved through the apartment on light feet, "Mr. Steele?" Felicity flinched violently as Oliver's voice modifier growled over the line. 

"Son, thank you." Walter's disoriented reply warbled. 

Oliver caught him, holding him up a little. Walter knew; he could see it. He knew who it was behind the voice modulator and the ringed paint. "Mr.--"

"I do know." Walter managed, "And I wanted...to thank you." 

Oliver slowed Walter's downward progression, laying him in the doorway opposite Thea and Roy's barricaded room. 

"Oliver, Lance is headed up now. Go." Felicity ordered. The line cut out, leaving Oliver to hot-foot it out of the window once more. 

Felicity stood up on shaky legs, her hands trembling as she walked away from her computers and the information that had swirled the thoughts she'd never wanted into her head. 

She was in a taxi before she knew what she was doing, headed down the darkening streets for the courthouse. 

She found Moira Queen on her way to the transport back to jail, and she started into a sprint. "Moira! You have to tell me...what Robert's original sin was." Felicity shouted, pushing through reporters to get to her, "What did he do to leave you vulnerable to Malcolm Merlyn, the architect of The Undertaking?" Felicity sent up a prayer that Moira remembered her from the hospital room; that she wasn't some two-bit reporter. 

"Robert...there was an accident at the plant that he felt responsible for. In order to do good, they banded together to try to fight the cancer of the city." Moira was blank as she answered, her eyes long gone and her features older than Felicity had ever seen someone look.

Felicity remembered the report, the councilman that had died at the Queen steel works in the Glades, but it had pointed the finger to someone else. Someone who was coming back now to pay back what the Queen legacy had taken.

Felicity took off for another cab, reaching the side of the road before a manicured hand grabbed her arm and stopped her. She whirled to find Laurel Lance's huge, wet eyes on her, almost accusing, "Look, I don't know what's going on, but you're out here in your pyjamas, so come with me." Laurel snapped out the order, striding down the sidewalk immediately. Felicity sucked in a breath, following her, only just aware that she was really in no more than the sweatpants, shirt and sweater Oliver had gotten for her; her hair messy and her feet stuffed into her fancier flats. Laurel strode into a parking garage like she owned it and everything and she was pissed with it all, unlocking a car and sliding in. "Where to?" 

"Starling General." Felicity answered without a beat, buckling up automatically, half her brain whizzing as the other half managed to soak in the awkwardness between them. 

"What's going on?" 

"A bad business dealing is coming back to bite the Queens. It's why Oliver and I were kidnapped; why there was a second attempt at getting Oliver..."

Laurel nodded shortly, her lips pursed. "And you're running around now, why?" 

"Thea and Walter were just attacked. He doesn't want Moira, but I think...I think he wants to destroy the Queen legacy. To destroy Oliver and Thea." 

Laurel's sculpted eyebrow ticked up, "Oliver's running out of his nine lives." 

"I think he's taken out a few dozen mortgages on his nine lives." Felicity snorted, making Laurel's mouth twitch. 

"Say it." 

Felicity looked over at her in profile for a breathless moment, swallowing, "I didn't take him from you." 

"But what took him from me...you're already a part of." Laurel agreed. "He's a jerk...but you'll be lucky if you'll ever love anyone like you'll love him. Just...keep any sisters or hot cousins in the free and clear." 

"Did you ever...wish it'd been you?" 

"Most every damn day, Felicity Smoak." Laurel answered, nodding to the hospital. 

"Thank you." Felicity said, full of feeling. "Have...Good luck." 

"You, too." Laurel smiled slightly, waving as Felicity turned and jogged for the hospital. 

Felicity felt like she wasn't breathing as she walked up the ward, the hospital pressing at her until she wanted to be rubbed out. She took a deep breath as she found the right room, opening the door and walking into the otherwise-dead chemo treatment room. "Hello, Donald Archer." 

Don from Accounting flinched, looking over at her with tired, resigned eyes. 

"Yes, I know your real name." Felicity told him, "I know where you grew up, what happened to the kids that bullied you, and that you sent the councilman killed at Queen Steel to his death that day, because you'd heard the deal wouldn't go through with you in the picture, and you wanted to take Robert Queen out instead." Felicity sat on the chair opposite. "I know that you have a son that you disowned for being gay; I know your ex-wife would celebrate hearing your death; I know you're a miserable, old man. When I first came up on your radar, you would have simply harassed me either into complicence or compliance. But then Oliver Queen walked into the IT department with a bullet-riddled computer and you started looking. Not like I look, no: much more evasively. Sagittarius was your company, that you had Merlyn become the face of. The archer." 

"And isn't it ironic: now Oliver Queen is the archer of the people." Don laughed pityingly. 

"How have you fucked up? Let me count the ways." Felicity replied drily. "How did you get the liquid oxygen so quickly?" 

"Already had it. I wanted to see how much torture the incredible Hood could take before begging me for death."

"Don; you're dying. And it'll be horrific, and painful, and slow. I couldn't ask for more than that at this point. After what you've put me and the people I love through, you're lucky that you're dying already." Felicity told him primly, tucking her plait of hair over one shoulder, "But since there's always a chance you'd tell, I decided to hedge my bets." Felicity cast a glance to his drip, and Don followed her line of sight. "You know what years of crawling around under desks and working magic on dying or dead machines has taught me, Don? It's that one little glitch in the system, and someone's life seems to be over." Felicity stood, her eyes bearing no safe haven. "The Hood is protected, Don; and so are the Queens. Take that to heart." 

She strode out of the room just as Don jerked to look at his chemo drip, terror and wonder in his eyes. 

"I'm the killer, Miss Smoak." She paused and turned to the growl just down the deserted hall. 

"I won't kill him; he's already dying." Felicity replied simply. She held out her hand to the Hood, wrapping her hand around the leather gloves when he finally took it. "Neither of us needs to kill him." She coaxed, leading him down the hall to the exit. "He's dying alone, miserable, full of hate and, now, impotent rage. He just needed to be silenced. Caged within his own trappings." 

Under the hood, Oliver's features were stormy, full of rage, "You went to talk to my mother..." 

"Don sent a dirty councilman to shake up your father; because he'd been ousted from a deal and wanted to bring your father down if he was going down, too. They argued, and the councilman fell off the rail of the walkway. Your father blamed himself for the man's death: it was the sin that sent him to Malcolm Merlyn and a...a council of the high and mighty in Starling that compiled the list, that wanted to shake out the criminal underbelly." 

"How did you figure this out?" 

"It's something I've been wondering for a while." Felicity shrugged. "A blackbook of the city's worst, and somehow, your father and Malcolm were involved. I looked into police reports and the like from just before the yacht trip. It fits." She faced them as they reached the stairs, getting close. She could smell the leather of his gloves and the paint ringing his eyes, could feel the heat pouring off him that he seemed the most at home in. "I'm sorry." 

He touched her cheek, bending down to kiss her gently. "Thank you." 

"I love you." She whispered. A thought occurred to her. "We're not on candid camera, are we?" 

"Just out of sight." Oliver promised. He kissed her again, deeper, "I love you, too, Felicity. Thank you for this." 

He hugged her tight, pressing a kiss to her hair. "Let's go." 

He handed her the helmet waiting on his bike, kitckstarting it with a roar. Felicity got on the back, wrapping her arms around his waist. "Nervous?" He asked over his shoulder. 

"Not even a little." Felicity replied easily. He smirked, firing up the bike and speeding away, Felicity's high, excited scream trailing behind them as he gave her a joyride. 

Laughing, Felicity stumbled off the bike at the club, casting her gaze skyward as thunder rolled through the clouds gathering over the city. Rain slowly began to pick up as they kissed, ducking inside the back entrance Oliver had put in during construction. 

Felicity slid her arm around his shoulders as he bent and lifted, carrying her inside. She kissed him sweetly, giggling as he set her on her desk, knocking back his hood and stripping off his gloves. She squealed as he picked her back up, hands gripping her thighs. She pulled him into a kiss, moaning softly as he moved calloused fingers under her hoodie and shirt, teasing at her hips. 

"You saved my family and I." He murmured, voice like a benediction. 

She laughed at that, shaking her head as he knelt so that she was draped over the couch. His clever fingers slid high, and Felicity sat up properly to sweep off the shirt and sweater immediately, the cold of the room on her bare skin making her shiver. Oliver mouthed at the bottom of her ribs, his hands tracing her curves, hot and rough and electrifying. He moved slowly up, licking the curve of her breast before trapping her nipple between his lips. One hand slid low, between her legs, and the pressure and heat, even with the cotton barrier of her sweatpants, made her moan and jerk in his arms. 

"You did." He breathed huskily, hungry blue eyes on the red blooming in her cheeks, swelling her lips. "I'm going to kiss every inch of you. Until you tingle from head to toe, and every part of you turns that pretty pink." He punctuated his sentence with a slow lick over her breast, sucking at the skin until it flushed fully red. Felicity whined, the delicate scrape of his stubble sending shocks through her body. 

He slid her sweatpants down, kissing her hipbone with loose, open-mouthed kisses. He licked the crease between her hip and her pelvis, her high sound making tempting a dark laugh out of him. He lowered her pants off, sliding her shoes off with them. She was beautifully pale, splashes of rose over an ivory ocean from the rub of his beard, the rest slowly rising a perfect, pale pink. She was spread deliciously over the dark green cushions, a painting living and breathing before him. He slid his thumb over her slit, relishing her sounds as he ran his thumb over her clit, sending a shiver through her, her legs spasming wider for him. He kissed over her skin, licking into her, his lips touching, then clinging to her. She arched back as a moan ripped from her, her breathing harsh and amazed. Her legs fell over his shoulders as he slid his hands under her and lifted her to his mouth, running his teeth over the soft wet of her lips, working his tongue into her. 

She tugged on his hair, bringing him up. She dragged down the zipper of the suit, gasping into a kiss as she wrapped her legs around him. 

"Take it off." She managed, voice wrecked. He made fast work of the Hood suit, letting her fingers curl in his undershirt, blunt nails scraping against his back as she tore it off over his head, throwing it away like it'd done her a personal affront. 

"I don't have anything..." Oliver panted, sliding back down to his knees in front of her. 

She licked her lips, breathing ragged, "Fuck." She whispered, chest heaving. He stroked his fingers into her, watching as her head fell back on a harsh moan. She could see him; feel his skin slick against hers, and she couldn't help the short scream as he worked his tongue between his fingers, aiming for her orgasm just as surely as he aimed his bow. She took fistfuls of the couch as her body rolled through with pleasure, the release leaving her loose against the cushions. 

She pulled Oliver up like food to a woman starved, wrapping around him and taking him by surprise as she flipped him to sit on the couch, both of them moaning as the head of his cock rubbed at her wet slip. 

She kissed him long and deep before slinking down. The first swipe of her tongue over his cockhead made him groan delectably. She curled her hand around his base, sliding down on him until she couldn't take any more, her lips tight around his shaft, a red he instantly wanted permanently on her succulent mouth. She glanced up at him once she'd found a rhythm that had him biting back desperate noises, and when their eyes met, she hummed happily with his cock on her tongue, making him scream just like he'd made her. She kept eye contact, working him over the edge and swallowing him down. 

He groaned, fisting his hands in her hair as she climbed up his body, cradled in his arms, against his sweaty chest. She turned his head to suckle a mark into his neck, over his pulse, looking down at the red splotched over her skin and the green and black smears of paint from his mask. "Shower, then home, then bed." He panted, bringing her up for a kiss and devouring her mouth. 

"Sex then bed." She corrected, licking the salt from his stubble. 

"That's what I meant by 'bed'." He laughed, taking her mouth again. 

She shuddered theatrically as she skipped across the freezing concrete floor for the modest shower Oliver had installed, and the way she looked naked and cold and sexed out made him feel like a predator closing in on its prey. She pressed back against the wall, grinning like she was the predator--and there was a damn good chance she was. He crowded against her, pulling out the weave of her hair and letting it tumble over his fingers. He kissed her reverently, tracing his thumbs up her curves, teasing her nipples. He reached blindly for the faucet, gripping her close as the water started up. She hooked her legs around his waist, her fingers curled around the back of his neck. He grinned, moving into the stream of hot water with her wrapped around him, and she couldn't stop from grinning back. 

He rubbed water through her hair, reaching over to squirt mint-scented shampoo into his hand to massage into her curls. She moaned, dropping her head back and relaxing into his hands, his hands moving down her neck in sure strokes. 

"That feels really good." 

"Mmm, I'll do this for hours when we get home." He promised her. "And you can tell me about your day."

She moaned at the devilishness of his grin, the boyish mischief, "You're going to be the death of me," she reached over and squirted some shampoo into her own hand, grinning as he adjusted his grip on her thighs, "but it's going to be fun."


End file.
